SPINNING
by Skarrow
Summary: Lyra spends Valentine's Day chasing the psycho responsible for the break-in at Ethan's house by following a series of mysterious anonymous messages. Lance helps her out. And Silver kicks the Dragon Master in the balls. (LancexLyra, ?xLyra)
1. SPINNING - 01

**A/N:** I do not own Pokemon, nor any of the characters and places mentioned in this fanfiction! I do not own the songs used, either!  
(Proper acknowledgements will be made after the ending of the story to prevent spoilers.)

This is my first Pokemon fanfic, and it's LancexLyra, but readers who know me from other fandoms can expect the usual heaps of foreshadowing, red herrings and clues. And just like how all of my mysteries are structured, it is very much possible to solve the mystery way before the main character (in this case, Lyra) does.

I hope you'll enjoy the story!

* * *

**SPINNING - 01**

* * *

"I'll Blindly Follow, Knowing You're Leading The Way"

* * *

**_Find me._**

That was all it said.

Lyra turned the card over and over in her hands but there was nothing else. It was just a plain white card with two words hand printed neatly on it in very fancy, loopy cursive lettering.

**_Find me._**

"Lyra, can you help me close the door?!" Ethan's voice rang out loud and clear through the open window and over the blaring CD player in his bedroom, which had been playing the same damn love song over and over since he'd turned it on. "My arms feel like they're about to break! What are you doing out there?!"

"Coming!" She shoved the card into her pocket and dashed back into the house, grateful for the electric heater in the house. At New Bark Town, it was always freezing cold in the early mornings.

"Lyra, I can't hold out much longerrr!"

"I'm here!"

Lyra jumped towards the closet, ramming against it with her whole body right before it gave way.

"On my mark!" She shouted. "One... two...!"

Together, they shoved the closet door with all their combined might.

_Click!_

A random rolled up-poster managed to escape through the crack in the door and smack Ethan's head, but otherwise they were safe.

"Ugh..." Ethan moaned, sliding to the floor and kicking the offending poster away from him. He watched as it unfurled itself halfway, as if mocking him for being a slob. "That was just horrible, horrible!"

"Then maybe it's high time you clean your room instead of shoving everything into your closet?" Lyra panted. She was also sitting on the floor, fatigued. "What's that poster for, by the way?"

"It's for my new favorite band,_ Boyce Avenue_," he replied with an airy laugh. "I think I have a grand total of sixteen posters of their upcoming concert hidden away somewhere..."

Just how much junk did this guy have lying around his bedroom, anyways?!

"You, young man, need a date with your broom and dustpan," Lyra scolded him mockingly, trying to sound like a stressed out parent.

"Haha, I think you may be right!" Was his carefree response. Typical.

Meanwhile, the CD player blasted away.

* * *

_So many nights trying to hide it_

_But now I stay awake just pleading for more_

_To think this heart was divided_

_I'm losing sleep cause I can't ignore-_

* * *

The two teens could barely hear each other over the loud volume.

"Can we please turn that off?!"

"No way, I really like that song!" Ethan argued. "And listening to music helps me get ready for a new day!"

"Why a love song?" Lyra wrinkled her nose. "And why this particular song? You didn't listen to this kind of stuff before... at least until a week ago!"

"But don't you think it's fitting for today, being Valentines Day today and all?"

"I guess... but not during any of those other days!"

"Alright, geez, then I won't play this song when you come over, is that alright with you?" Ethan rolled his eyes and changed the subject. "So, who was it at my front door so early in the morning, and what did they want?"

She gave him a look. "That's just the thing. Nobody was there!"

"Huh?"

Lyra reached into her pocket and pulled out the card she picked up from the front porch. She showed it to him. "All I found was this."

"Lemme see... ehhh, _'find me'_? What does that mean?"

"Do you maybe recognize the handwriting?" Lyra suggested. "Maybe this message was meant for you. This _is_ your house, after all. Oooh, maybe it's from your secret admirer, Ethan! Although 'find me' isn't exactly the most romantic thing I'd ever heard."

"No kidding. And I've never seen handwriting like this before. But, if it really is from a secret admirer, are they trying to lead me somewhere? Is that why they wrote, 'find me'?"

* * *

_-I want to be where you are_

_In times of need I just want you to stay_

_I leave a note on your car_

_When I can't find the right words to say-_

* * *

"Is it okay if I use the shower first, Lyra?"

"Sure! I'm still too cold to do anything anyways."

Ethan handed the little white card back to Lyra before slowly lumbering to his feet and shuffling out into the hallway with his towel and clothes. Lyra lay back down on her sleeping bag and played with the card, thinking about the mysterious circumstances under which she'd first found it.

Minutes earlier at around 4:40am, a sleepy Lyra and Ethan had been just lying around chatting when the incessant ringing of the doorbell startled them. Ethan had yelled out the window, asking whoever it was if they could wait. Lyra had volunteered to get the door while Ethan put away the mats and pillows they'd used (she was more presentable than him, anyway)... but when she got to the front door, nobody was there.

The mysterious white card was sitting innocently in the center of the welcome mat, message-side up.

Nobody else was around, and all was quiet in New Bark besides the player Ethan had turned on and cranked the volume way up.

Who left the card? And why?

She read the message again to herself, pondering the meaning...

"Find me."

* * *

_-Find me, here in your arms_

_Now I'm wondering where you've always been_

_And blindly, I came to you_

_Knowing you'd breathe new life from within-_

* * *

...That song was seriously getting on her nerves. Not because she didn't like the tune, or music or love songs or _Boyce Avenue_ but because it was so damn loud! She could hardly hear her own thoughts anymore! It was a miracle the neighbors hadn't complained yet!

Lyra surged to her feet and marched towards Ethan's stereo, and turned the volume dial until the music was at an acceptable level. Now the voice of the male who was singing the song sounded soothing compared to earlier, when every drop of the bass made her heart jump uncomfortably-

* * *

_-Find me, here in your arms_

_Now I'm wondering where you've always been_

_And blindly, I came to you_

_Knowing you'd breathe new life from within-_

* * *

-It was kind of ironic that the singer was crooning to "find him", too. It kind of felt like a direct message.

From the sender of the card.

...

Wait a minute, what?

Lyra blinked and laughed right outloud, surprised at the sudden idea that popped in her head.

It really was a coincedence that the message of the love song was the same. But a direct message from the sender? No way. For one, it was Ethan himself who'd started up the CD player. He wouldn't have known that somebody would stop by at ungodly early hours of the morning to leave him a card. He also couldn't have been the one to leave the card for himself outside his own house, that wouldn't make any sense. Unless her best friend had somehow rung the doorbell outside without ever leaving the bedroom or her sight!

Out of curiosity and boredom, she picked up the _Boyce Avenue_ CD jacket and checked the listing for the title of the song.

-There. It was song number five, "Find Me".

...

...

...

Without thinking really about it, she opened the case-

"Ha."

-It was empty, of course. The CD itself was already loaded in the player! Really, what was she expecting to find in there? A gift? Another letter? The identity of the sender of the card? Rediculous.

She closed the case and placed it back where she got it - but this action caused Ethan's beloved black cap tumbling back into an unreachable area between the bedroom wall and one of the large black speakers connected to the stereo.

"Oops!"

It was her fault, so she needed to get it back. And the only way to do that would be to move the entire thing so she could reach behind the huge speaker with her arm.

Looking down, she noticed that, compared to the rest of Ethan's room, the immediate radius around the speaker (and the speaker itself) was wiped clean of dust. Had the boy actually taken some time to do some serious cleaning lately?

But that was impossible, right? Ethan wouldn't clean his room even if his life depended on it, so...

"There it is!"

Now that she'd found the fallen hat, all she needed to do was reach out as far as she could and grab it-

"Wha-?"

Pulling the hat free revealed a small white cardboard box which Lyra assumed the hat had fallen on top of.

What was it doing there? Was it yet another bit of junk Ethan had hidden away?

Intrigued, she picked up the box, too.

"I wonder what's inside?" Lyra flipped the cover up.

* * *

"Lyra, I'm done using the bathroom! You can go use it now!" Ethan hollered a few minutes later. There was the sound of a door opening further down the hallway, and soon the black haired-teen was back inside the bedroom. He was already fully dressed - minus his hat - and he was vigorously towelling his hair. "Lyra, did you hear me? I said I was done!"

For some reason, she was still in her pajamas, and she was staring hard at something in her hands. He had expected her to be dressed in her usual clothes already - she'd taken a long bath just last night so she could cut back on preparation time and get to Battle Tower's grand reopening early today.

She didn't respond, or even acknowledge him.

"...Lyra?" Ethan called out anxiously to his best friend, tossing his towel away and making his way over to her side. "What's up?"

Lyra's face had paled slightly. She wordlessly handed him the white cardboard box she'd found.

Inside was yet another box, but this one was black and the size of an ice cube. Ethan picked it up and examined it in the light - it wasn't see through, he couldn't open it, fold it, or crush it, and all six sides were as smooth as glass. It was pretty weighty, too. "What is this black cube thing? Where'd you get it?"

"...I accidentally dropped your hat behind one of your speakers. When I went to go get it, I found that."

"Huh, really? I don't remember ever hiding anything like this..."

Lyra suddenly spoke again. "This note was in the white box, too."

"A note?" Ethan repeated, growing more concerned by the second. Lyra sounded spooked for some reason... a reason he would find out soon enough.

She held a folded piece of paper out to him. He took it, feeling unsure, but he opened it up and read the fancy loopy cursive - and gasped.

_**Find me, Lyra.**_

"Wh-whoa, what the heck?!" Ethan exclaimed, hands trembling nervously. He read the message to himself several more times over before finally believing what his eyes were showing him. "Isn't this the same handwriting as the one on that card you found outside, Lyra?! Does that mean... this note is from the same person?!"

"...Did you do this, Ethan?"

"Huh?"

"Did you write the card... and the note in the box?"

"No way!" Ethan denied vehemently. "You know my penmanship isn't as pretty as this!"

Lyra took a deep breath. "You're right, this isn't your handwriting, I've seen enough of it myself after all... but are you sure you didn't put the box behind your speakers?"

"I'm pretty sure I'd remember hiding something as weird and mysterious as _this_-" he rolled the cube in his fingers for emphasis "-in my room!"

"So now the question is... who did?"

There was an awkward silence as a horrible realization befell both teens.

"Oh man... did somebody b-break into my house?!"

"That's the only explanation I can think of, myself..."

"Dad is going to _kill_ me if he ever finds out somebody managed to break in," Ethan groaned. He was trying to make light of the situation, but Lyra could see that he was on the verge of freaking out.

...Seeing her best friend like that really hammered home how serious this situation was: someone had managed to sneak into the house undetected while she and Ethan were asleep, defenseless. And to make things even worse, Ethan couldn't have picked a better night to leave Marill at Professor Elm's place... Luckily the intruder's intentions did not seem too bad at the moment. But Lyra knew that could change without warning in the near future.

She suddenly trembled. "What I want to know is why_ me_? Why would anyone go out of their way to break into your house to leave me a letter, asking to find them?"

"Don't forget about the card you found," Ethan reminded her, sounding very serious. "...I wonder... what should we do...?"

"Why don't we look around and see if anything else is amiss inside the house? Let's split up. I'll check around the kitchen and the closet downstairs while you look around here and your parents' bedroom. And if you find anything, holler."

"Maybe we should contact the police right away," Ethan said slowly. He sounded as if if he couldn't believe what was happening. Lyra didn't blame him; neither did she.

"We don't have evidence that somebody broke in. That's why I suggested we search."

"Isn't _this_ proof enough?" He replaced the little black cube and the letter inside the white box, slamming the cover closed a little too forcefully. "Besides, what if this psycho is still in the house?!"

"Oh my God, Ethan, stop it!" Lyra demanded. "I don't even want to _think_ about that!"

The very idea frightened her, but Ethan had a point - who was to say that the guy had already left? If it was indeed the same person who had left the white card at the front door, he could've easily circled around and snuck into the house from somewhere else. To think that, Lyra had gone downstairs all by herself earlier to answer the door... he could've been watching her from the shadows, or even behind the staircase. And Ethan had gone to the bathroom earlier, too-

"Then if we're going to investigate, let's stick together," he urged. "And you should bring your Pokemon, just in case."

"...I can do that."

Lyra tapped the release button on one of her Pokeballs, which were sitting on Ethan's desk. With a flash of red light, Typhlosion stood before her in all his glory.

"Stay close to me, Typhlosion," Lyra instructed him while Ethan turned off the CD player and pulled a wooden baseball bat out from the mess under his bed for protection.

"Ready?" He asked her a moment later.

Typhlosion growled them curiously.

"...Ready."

Ethan pushed open the door, the light from his bedroom shining around them and illuminating the floor in a bright rectangle.

Before this moment, Lyra had never thought she'd ever find her childhood friend's house creepy.

"If anyone were to try breaking in, they would probably try the windows in the living room," mused the boy at her side.

"Then let's go check."

The whole house was eerily quiet. It was only about 5:10 in the morning, after all. Nobody in New Bark Town save maybe Professor Elm and his assistants would be awake at this time. Ethan flicked a nearby wall switch, and both teens breathed a sigh of relief when the hallway lights came to life.

"Okay, let's move."

"Right."

Two apprehensive teens and one confused Fire-type Pokemon slowly tromped down the stairs. At the landing, Ethan also turned on the lights. He repeated this for all the other rooms they were about to enter and search.

"...The windows are securely locked," Lyra said a moment later. They had gone into the living room first to check the windows and door to the backyard, but there were no signs of disturbance. Ditto for all the other windows and possible passages in the house. They had also checked inside the cabinets and closets for anyone who might've been hiding from them. "Ethan, is there any other window or door the guy could've snuck in through, or some tiny space he could be hiding in?"

"No. We've checked everything." Ethan paused. "Except my own room, I suppose."

"We can't call the police like this. We don't have enough proof..."

"Why don't you take a break in the living room with Typhlosion? I'll go back upstairs and check my bedroom again. Maybe we overlooked something." He was already leaving even as he made that suggestion.

"Ethan, be careful!"

"Will do!"

Once Ethan had gone, Lyra sank back into one of the plush couches and took a deep breath.

She had been sitting for exactly four seconds before she remembered something.

"I left my Pokegear down here with Ethan's to charge it, didn't I?"

It was still plugged into the wall socket, right where she'd left it. At the very least, if somebody had indeed broken into the house, he wasn't a thief.

Seeing that it was fully charged, she unplugged the Pokegear and flipped it open. All of her contacts sprang up in an alphabetically arranged list with the sole exception of her mom, who was listed right at the top for convenience. The time was 5:21am.

...Yes, she couldn't call the police like this, so what should she do? Both the card and the note had said, 'Find me', but nothing else. It wasn't as if she could just go out and find this person... not without a clue. Indeed, why her? Why was Lyra contacted? And why did this person want Lyra to find them?

Were they in trouble?

Or was it some other reason?

Did she want to find them?

As Lyra's mind raced, she had been absentmindedly flicking through her contacts one by one so when her Pokegear rang, it startled her so badly she'd nearly dropped it to the floor. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the name 'Lance' on the in-coming call screen, and she hurriedly pressed the receive button.

"H-hello? Lance?"

"Good morning, Lyra," The Dragon Tamer greeted her good-naturedly from the other end. "Did you just wake up? I promised I'd call you, so here I am."

Her earlier concerns were already melting away at the sound of his voice, with something sweet taking its place. She was now feeling positively pink!

"H-huh? Oh yeah, right! I- uh- I have been awake for some time now, ahahaha!" She mentally slapped herself for sounding so pathetic. Keep it together, girl! But... damn, son, she couldn't help it! She just couldn't believe _Lance_ was really talking to her right now! In all honesty, this was the first time she'd ever heard his voice on the phone, and now it sounded as if he was actually right close by, speaking directly into her ear... she definitely wouldn't mind getting used to this-

"You sound a bit strange. Are you still feeling up to the exhibition tournament at Battle Tower today?" There was a lot of excited chatter in the background - Lance was probably already at the tower, early bird that he was.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine!" She assured him, unconsciously loosening her grip on the infernal white box she had been holding onto this whole time. It clattered to the floor.

"Oops!"

She reached down to retrieve it... and all of a sudden, she remembered that Ethan had gone upstairs to search his bedroom for any other signs of a break in. He was taking an unusually long time, wasn't he? Maybe she should check up on him to make sure-

"Lyra, are you still there? Did I call at a bad time?"

"No, no... not at a bad time."

She silently read the white card's message to herself again.

_**Find me.**_

The note inside the white cardboard box was a similar sounding message:

**_Find me, Lyra._**

"...Lyra?"

"Lance, can I ask you a hypothetical question? What would you do if you suddenly got a card addressed to you from an unknown sender?"

She hadn't meant to ask him...! These days, Lance had been her mentor of sorts, patiently guiding her as she prepared to take on the role of Indigo League Champion. She would forever be grateful to him for everything he had done, but she also wanted to be able to at least handle her own problems; Ethan getting involved in this particular mystery was inevitable, but it was her own fault for blabbing to Lance right now.

And now that she was asking him, she couldn't seem to muster the strength to stop.

The background noise on the other end seemed to die down slowly - he was probably moving to a quieter location. "I suppose - hypothetically - it would depend on what was written on the card. Can you give me an example?"

"..._'Find me'_."

She heard him take a deep breath. "...Hypothetical situations are usually based on actual occuring events, aren't they? Lyra, what's happening? Did you get a card?" His voice was so gentle and concerned it made her want to cry.

"...Yes."

"Is this the first one? Or have you gotten any others?"

"I found both of them this morning, not too long ago."

"'Both of them'? So there are two?" Lance's voice was changing again. Now it was troubled. "Where are you now? Have you told anyone else yet?"

"Ethan knows. I stayed over at his house, so we sort of found them together at the same time."

"Okay. Sit tight. I'll be there as soon as I can." It was a promise, and Lyra knew it. In fact, if she weren't mistaken Lance's Dragonite was growling energetically in the background. Was he already preparing to fly...?!

"Wait, hold on! You don't need to come over! I'll just go ahead and meet you at Battle Tower!" Lyra protested. Not that she was protesting to the idea of Lance coming to her rescue - she just didn't think he would be convinced to quickly and so easily to come flying over all the way to New Bark Town.

"I think it would be best if you stayed with Ethan for the time being," Lance explained. "You sound really worried over the phone right now - and there aren't a lot of things that can shake a Trainer like you, Lyra. Besides, I want to come over."

"A-alright."

"Wait for me."

And with those words, he hung up.

Lyra stared at her Pokegear silently, unable to think properly for a few seconds.

Lance the Dragon Tamer was now on his way to New Bark Town to meet her. She felt kind of bad for pulling him away from the exhibition tournament, but at the same time she felt so _relieved_.

When it came to crime, mystery and intrigue Lance was probably the best person she could ask for help. Heck, when she first met him he was already deeply embroiled in the Lake of Rage experimentation Team Rocket was doing, and they had ended up working together to infiltrate the old ninja hideout and save the Magikarp. It also helped that he was the Indigo League Champion - soon to be ex-Champion that is, but still. If anyone had the experience and the resources to help her figure out what was going on it would be him.

In a way, he was even better than the police-

"Lyra, I heard you talking from upstairs. Were you on your pokegear?" Ethan had finally returned to the living room. He plopped down next to Lyra on the couch with the wooden baseball bat still in his hands. He was looking pretty beat.

"Yeah. I was talking to Lance."

"To Lance, huh? Are you still going to Battle Tower? What did you guys talk about?"

"Lance is coming to New Bark Town."

"Wait, what?" Ethan blinked at her. "Why?"

Lyra looked down at her hands. "I... I kind of told him what happened. He thinks it's serious enough to warrant a visit."

"Well, there you go! All of our problems are solved!"

"Huh?"

"C'mon, Ly, think about it! Lance is still the Pokemon Champion! If he tells the police what happened in our place it's as good as solid evidence of a break in!"

"You think?"

"His reputation is impeccable. Who wouldn't listen to him?"

"Ethan-" she grabbed his arm. "-To tell you the truth, I'm kind of hoping he'll somehow prove that this is all some kind of practical joke, or something. And that we were overreacting all along. Because what if this were the 'real deal'? What would we do then?"

He smiled at her reassuringly. "I'm sure Lance wouldn't let anything happen to you, don't worry."

"Me?" Lyra repeated, narrowing her eyes. "What about you?"

Ethan looked away for a second, looking as if he were debating something with himself, but then in the next moment he turned back to Lyra. "Ly, if that second message we found is anything to go by... the person who is getting targeted here is you."

His words seemed to turn her blood to ice.

"I mean, if it specifically mentioned your name, this psycho obviously knows exactly who you are."

"Ethan-"

"Wait, let me finish." He took a deep breath. "I double-checked everything in my bedroom. There were no signs of a break in."

"But... but if that's true... how did he get in? Did he walk right through the walls?"

He shrugged helplessly. "...He used a key and entered through the front door? That's the only plausible way I can think of right now."

This was getting worse and worse. Whoever it was who left the card and the note was obviously really good at breaking into people's homes. That meant, even if Lyra ignored the messages completely, the perp could just leave her some more messages. And if she continued to ignore them, what would happen to her-?

"Hey, Ly?"

"What?"

"I think you should change out of your PJs now since, y'know, Lance the Dragon Tamer will soon be arriving at my humble abode. Unless you want to show him."

* * *

Lance knocked on the door at exactly 5:47am.

"It was quite windy today, so I couldn't make Dragonite go any faster. I apologize."

Something darted past the forefront of her mind and vanished before she could make sense of it. There was something about this situation... it was probably her nerves. "No, it's alright. I'm sorry for imposing on you," Lyra told him.

He smiled, giving her a _great_ view of his perfect white teeth and her stomach did flip-flops at the sight. "You, Lyra? Imposing? Never."

She couldn't help but smile back as she scrambled for something intelligent to say. "I... I-"

"Guys, can you come inside? New Bark is just like other small towns - news and gossip spread faster than a wildfire. I'd never hear the end of it from my dad and my neighbors if they caught you outside flirting," Ethan quipped pleasantly from the living room.

Lance blushed at the same time as Lyra. "Sorry. Thank you for having me."

It took only a moment for the Dragon Tamer to settle down in the living room. "Lyra, I'd like you to tell me everything. Don't leave out any details."

And so, with Ethan's help, Lyra recounted everything that had transpired: The strange doorbell ringing, Lyra finding the white card, Lyra finding the white cardboard box in Ethan's room not long after, and how the two of them looked around in vain for signs of a break in.

"Here is the card, and the box I found in Ethan's bedroom."

Lance studied the writing on the card for a moment before shifting his attention to the box. "So I'm guessing this paper here is the note... okay, it is. But what is this?" He asked, studying the little black cube under some light. "It doesn't feel like plastic or stone... some kind of opaque glass? Or crystal?"

"It was inside the cardboard box alongside the note," Lyra supplied.

"This cube kind of reminds me of Pokemon evolution items, only much smaller. If you found it with the note inside the box, then I think you should keep it for now. It might be important later on."

"Huh?"

"You plan to obey the messages and find this person, right?" Lance stared into her eyes. "I know you won't ignore them."

"Wait, seriously?!" Ethan exclaimed. "You can't just go off and hunt this creep down! You'd be doing exactly like he asks! You'd be his puppet!"

"Lance is right; I wasn't planning on ignoring them," Lyra stated calmly. "But I don't exactly have any leads right now, so I can't start looking for him easily, either."

"What were you planning to do?" Ethan asked suspiciously.

"Wait for another message," she admitted. "I mean, _'Find me'_ and _'Find me Lyra'_ aren't exactly enough to go on."

"True..."

Lance looked over the card and the note once again. "Lyra, tell me again how you found the white box?"

"But I already told you."

"It's alright. I really don't mind hearing it again."

"Well... as I've already said before, I couldn't help but think what a huge coincedence it was that the name of the song Ethan was currently obssessing over matched the words of the card I found at the front door. And I suddenly had this idea to check inside the CD case... of course, I didn't find anything. So I tried to put back the case, and ended up knocking over Ethan's hat, and while I was trying to get it back I remember thinking how ironic it was how the area around the speakers were clean, and-"

"Why would you think that?"

"Eh?" Lyra blinked at Lance's sudden interruption, but answered him anyways, "Well, it was wiped clean. There wasn't a speck of dust on the speakers... and the area around the speakers. Ethan is one of the laziest guys I've known, and cleaning is not his forte..."

"Do you think I cleaned the speakers?" Ethan chuckled. "You flatter me, Ly."

"If you don't mind... can I take a look?" Lance asked the younger male.

When Ethan hesitated, Lyra put a hand on his arm. "It's okay, I know we can trust Lance."

"...I got it," he relented at last. "I'll let you look, Lance."

"Thank you."

The three of them (plus Typhlosion, who was still hanging around outside his Pokeball) made their way up the stairs and into Ethan's bedroom.

"So you both slept here last night?"

"Yup."

"And you didn't notice anything out of the ordinary? Anything at all?" Lance probed.

Both teens shook their heads.

"So... are those the speakers you mentioned, Lyra?" Lance moved closer to Ethan's prized stereo and equipment without waiting for an answer. Lyra and Ethan followed close behind. The Dragon Tamer stopped just a foot away, stared the black speakers up and down, and studied the floor in its immediate radius. At last he said, "Lyra is right. Compared to the other surfaces in this bedroom, this part is very clean. It's safe to assume the police won't be lifting any prints from this area, even with their special dusting powder... except maybe Lyra's."

Ethan crossed his arms. "Why do you say that?"

"The culprit must've wiped down the entire area to remove his prints," Lyra said suddenly as the realization dawned on her. "The only fingerprints the police will find will be my own, because I just touched it."

"That's correct." Lance turned around and gave Lyra a grave look. "...If you didn't wipe the speakers yourself... and Ethan didn't, either... then there is only one other explanation. This so-called culprit truly did come in from outside and sneak into the bedroom. While you were asleep."

The room was as quiet as a tomb as Lyra tried to absorb this revelation. Also, there was that nagging feeling again-

"...If the speakers were wiped yesterday morning, or even before that, there should've been a fine layer of dust covering the surface of the speakers right now. Unless you've wiped them down yourself when you came to this room a second time, Ethan?"

Ethan shook his head. "I have no reason to clean up anything in my room. As Lyra already told you, it would take a _lot_ of force to get me to."

"So there we have it, then," Lance concluded. "Ethan, I would recommend you inform your parents about what has transpired here, and to urge them to get better security. Maybe get grills for your windows?"

The younger male nodded mutely. Lance turned around and started slowly walking around the room, his eyes taking in every detail. He was probably looking for more possible evidence of the break-in.

Ethan gave Lyra a shaky smile and excused himself to the hallway to call his parents, closing the door behind him. Not knowing what to do, Lyra watched Lance catalogue the bedroom like it were a crime scene.

...In a way, it _was_ a crime scene. Lance made the perfect pseudo-detective. Lyra was the victim. Ethan was the unreliable yet _only_ witness so far. All that lacked were the yellow police tape... and a list of suspects.

But in all honesty, Lyra wasn't completely worried anymore. Maybe it was because Lance was here? But for some reason, she felt that in the end everything would be alright.

"Lyra, what is this poster?" Lance asked suddenly, his voice betraying his interest. He was staring down at the half-unfurled poster that had bonked Ethan over the head earlier when she had helped him close his too-full-of-junk closet.

"It's a poster of Ethan's favorite band,_ Boyce Avenue_... I think."

"Hmm..."

"What's up?"

"According to the poster, this band will be holding a concert in Goldenrod City today, at 1pm," the redhead mused aloud.

Lyra patiently waited for him to make his point. He never did. Instead, he asked her another question.

"Lyra, what do you think about the card and the note you've found?"

"...They were written by the same person, and they both say _'Find me'_?"

"Not quite. The note that was inside the white box said _'Find me, Lyra'_."

Lance stared at her, as if waiting for her to come up with the answer. But she still couldn't see what he was trying to get at.

"You found the card first, am I right? Did you immediately assume it was for you, Lyra?"

"Of course I did-"

No, wait. That was wrong.

"-Actually, I thought it was for Ethan," she admitted. "Because..."

"Because?"

"Because this is _his_ house," Lyra said at last. "His house, his front door. So I automatically thought it was for Ethan... from a secret admirer... because it's Valentines Day today."

"And it was only when you found the white box hidden behind the speakers did you and Ethan begin to think that the messages were for you."

"Yeah... that sounds about right."

"Are you seeing the problem here?" Lance stepped closer to Lyra until he was standing right in front of her. When she shook her head, he gave her a mysterious smile. "Based on what you've told me, you were obviously meant to find the card that said _'Find me'_ at the front door first, and the white box with the note that said _'Find me, Lyra'_ behind the speakers second. The problem here is _'why'_. Why didn't the secret sender write _'Find me, Lyra'_ beforehand? Why did he make it so that _'Find me, Lyra'_ was the second message? Why didn't he just state outright that you were the one he was trying to reach?"

Now that... was a good question. Lyra had never thought of it that way before. Indeed, the sender could've simply identified who he was trying to contact instead of letting them think it was somebody else... which meant, the sender definitely made this move on purpose. But what was he trying to accomplish?

When Lyra looked at Lance, he was still smiling at her. It was kind of aggravating.

If he already knew the answer, why wasn't he telling her?!

Lyra looked away and glanced restlessly around the bedroom. Her eyes fell to the_ Boyce Avenue_ poster on the floor.

A concert at Goldenrod, huh? Ethan would probably be heading over there in the afternoon...

...

...

The reason why she ever found that damn white box in the first place was because she had fooled around in front of the stereo. She turned down the volume because it annoyed her... she thought it was a funny coincedence that the words in the card matched the name of the song... and she ended up knocking over Ethan's hat-

_Find Me_, a song by _Boyce Avenue_.

"...!"

...No. There is just no way! The idea her brain had come up with was just too farfetched! Who in their right mind would even attempt to pull something like this?!

"So, it looks like you've come to a conclusion." Lance's tone was encouraging. "Let's hear it."

This is insane!

"...The reason why the sender didn't write _'Find me, Lyra'_ first... wasn't only because he wanted to make sure that I found the white cardboard box behind the speakers," she began slowly, carefully watching Lance for his reaction. "He wanted me to notice something else, too."

"And what is it exactly that he wanted you to notice?"

"...The song, _Find Me_, by the band _Boyce Avenue_. Rather, he wanted me to notice the band in particular," Lyra continued, her voice growing more confident as she spoke. "It's a really clever play on words. He's telling me, _'Go to Goldenrod City, Lyra... **find me **at the** Boyce Avenue concert**.'_ That's the secret message."

"That is also the conclusion I have come up with," Lance said approvingly. There was this twinkle in his eye that seemed to draw Lyra right in; it and his obvious boyish excitement at her deductions nearly made her swoon. "Except for one tiny difference. I believe this person isn't telling you to attend the concert itself, only to go to the location in question."

"You mean, Goldenrod City in general?"

"No..." Lance turned around, bent down and picked up the poster off the floor. He held it up for Lyra to see, pointing at a certain spot with his free hand. "I mean The Golden Coliseum itself. The mysterious sender may be waiting for you at the Coliseum... or perhaps, you'll find another clue there."

So that's how it is! Amazing! If Lance weren't here to help her make sense of everything, she wouldn't have ever figured it out!

Without giving it a second thought, Lyra threw herself at the Dragon Master, her arms wrapping tightly around him.

"Oof-?!"

He was momentarily stunned by her sudden embrace, the poster dropping to the floor, but to Lyra's delight he returned the gesture, wrapping his arms and the folds of his cape around her, snug and warm.

"Thank you," she mumbled into his bodysuit. "I wouldn't have done this without you."

"Don't mention it... however... there is something else I need to make clear."

"...?"

His arms tightened protectively around her, and his voice became uneasy. "There is another problem."

Another problem? Just what could it be?

"Lyra, why didn't the sender leave the messages at your own house? Why did it have to be at this house, at Ethan's residence?"

That was fairly easy for the girl to answer. "Because I wasn't at home."

"And that's what worries me. This is even more proof that there was a break-in last night." Lance's voice lowered to a whisper. "This guy is watching you."

"?!"

"He doesn't just know your name, he knows where you live. And even now, he may be watching you very closely... How else would he have known that you weren't sleeping at home last night? That he would need to deliver his messages here, to this very room?"

"L-Lance..." He was really starting to scare her now. "I-I don't think this is as serious as you say! M-maybe it's just a really huge, elaborate Valentines Day prank!" She wished she would stop stuttering, as it wasn't making her sound very convincing.

"...I'm sorry for frightening you, Lyra. You needed to become aware of this fact." Lance pulled away slightly so he could look Lyra directly in the eyes for emphasis. "As long as he's watching you, nowhere is safe. I know I won't be able to stop you from chasing this perp down, so please promise me you'll always be careful."

"..."

"Lyra?"

"...I promise."

"Thank you." He went right back to hugging her. Lyra didn't resist, allowing herself to be pressed against his broad chest. "I'm so glad nothing happened to you," he whispered fiercely. "When I think of some strange intruder coming into this bedroom with both you and Ethan none the wiser, and his target is you... it makes me feel angry. Gut-sick. And murderous, even."

Were they really embracing each other right now? Was he really saying all of these _make your nose bleed_ lines to her? It was taking every bit of Lyra's willpower not to squeal in absolute glee. In the name of all that is good and holy, please don't _ever_ let it end!

As if to spite Lyra, the bedroom door slammed open, and Ethan strolled in excitedly.

"So have you guys figured out any- ohmygodIamsosorryIdidn'tmeantointerruptI'lljustbeoutsidedoingmyownthingnowokaybye!"

He backed out as quickly as he had come, slamming the door closed.

Lyra and Lance had separated from each other in that split second, blushing hotly and unable to look each other in the eyes.

Dammit, Ethan!

* * *

"So, you two will be heading off to Goldenrod now, and then what?" Ethan asked them a few minutes later.

Lance helped Lyra climb onto Dragonite's back before getting on himself, right behind her.

"I honestly don't know," Lyra replied after thinking it over. "I guess it all depends on whatever I find there."

"I can't believe you're skipping the tournament for this," said the boy with a shake of his head. "But I guess there is always a next year."

"Yeah..."

Lyra _was_ pretty bummed out about it. There would definitely be a lot of strong Trainers at the tournament today. Cynthia from Sinnoh was also supposed to show up! As well as Steven Stone from Hoenn, and Alder from the faraway region of Unova! And Red had promised her he would show up at the Tower, too! Why did the exhibition tournament have to be held on Valentines Day, of all days?! Most importantly, why did this mysterious stalker of hers have to bother her on the much awaited day of hearts?! She was so looking forward to spending the day with Lance...

Well, in a way, they were still going to spend the day together, but Lyra could've come up with a _hundred ideas_ that were _more romantic_ than chasing an unknown person all over Johto... she hoped to God that Kanto wouldn't be part of the plans, either...

"Oh, and Lyra, you forgot this in my room."

"Huh?"

Ethan held out an envelope to her.

"...?"

"It's from me, not the psycho stalker, just in case you were wondering."

Lyra sighed with relief. "Good, because I don't think I'm mentally prepared for any more letters from him at this very moment. Was that all?"

"Yup! Take care you two! And Happy Valentines!"

Lance and Lyra returned the sentiments as Dragonite began its slow ascent into the air.

Ethan watched them zoom into the early morning sky until he couldn't see them anymore.

* * *

"I'll read this later."

Lyra tucked the letter into her handbag and replaced her hands on Dragonite's scales for balance.

"Hey, Lance?" She spoke over the roaring wind.

"Yes?" On the other hand, Lance had no need for shouting; he simply had to lean in close and speak directly in her ear in his normal voice, causing goosebumps to break out all over her skin from the pleasant, ticklish sensation.

"Thank you for agreeing to come with me!"

"It's no problem. No problem at all."

"I just don't get why Ethan didn't want to tag along; he's just as involved in this as we are."

"I'm not quite certain, either. But I'll be sure to thank him the next time I see him."

Lyra frowned, puzzled. "For what?"

The solid, muscled arms around her waist tightened. "It's nothing important."

* * *

**SPINNING - 01**

**END**

* * *

**NEXT:** WHAT WILL THEY FIND AT GOLDENROD CITY?


	2. SPINNING - 02

**A/N: **I do not own Pokemon, nor any of the characters and places mentioned in this fanfiction. I do not own the songs used, either.  
And I don't know how to properly write a girl's feelings. (Proper acknowledgements will be made after the ending of the story to prevent spoilers.)

This is a character driven, 2-part story, which means a lot of things may not make much sense since the main focus of part 1 is Lyra, forgive me. I also apologize for the loads and loads of exposition and numbers in this chapter.

Thanks to **AquilaTempestas** for reviewing and recommending this story on her fanfic "Divine Destiny", and **MismatchedSocks** for trying to guess at the answer.

I hope you'll continue to enjoy this (late) Valentines Day fic!

* * *

**Characters:**

Lyra  
The protagonist. She is very obviously attracted to Lance and, much to her friends' chagrin, is not ashamed to let it show. Lyra's quite easygoing, and tends to let people lead her off in different directions or get her to do things for them, but despite this she always manages to come out on top.

Ethan  
Lyra's best friend since forever. His greatest weakness is cleaning his bedroom. A weirdo broke into his house on Valentines Day to leave cryptic messages for Lyra, who was staying over for the night.

Lance  
The object of Lyra's affections. He is a cunning sadist with good publicity. He is also a (self-proclaimed) philanthropist, so he restrains himself (most of the time). Currently helping Lyra decode the messages.

* * *

**SPINNING - 02**

* * *

"You Are The Will That Makes Me Strong"

* * *

**_Find me._**

That was what the card had said.

No matter how many times Lyra turned the card over and over in her hands there would be nothing else to see. It was just a plain white card with two words hand printed neatly on it in very fancy, loopy cursive lettering.

**_Find me, Lyra._**

The note from the white cardboard box she found inside Ethan's room by pure coincedence had a similar sounding message, with the same penmanship. If she wanted to discover the identity of the sender, she would need to memorize every stroke, every nuance, every depression... so that she would be able to recognize it anywhere, at any time.

Thanks to Lance, she now had a lead - the Golden Coliseum at Goldenrod City. He was confident that they'd find something there. And Lyra really was lucky Lance was so good at this mystery-stuff, or else she wouldn't have made it this far.

"I'm flattered you think of me so highly, but just remember that the perp's target is you," Lance reminded her sternly. "I will do everything I can to help... but I'm quite certain only _you_ would be able to identify any clues he might've left for you at the Coliseum."

"So, we're going to do this like how we handled the ninja hideout at Mahogany Town?"

"In a way, yes. If anything sticks out to you as strange, don't doubt yourself. Investigate as much as you can."

Lance had gotten Dragonite to climb up to very high altitudes to avoid the strong winds he'd faced on his way to New Bark Town earlier that morning. They were making good time, but it had become almost impossible for Lyra to hold a proper conversation with him. They could only exchange a couple of words at most.

But that was okay with her - because flying through the skies on the back of a creature as powerful and willing as Dragonite was an exhiliarating experience of its own. She would ride on her own Pokemon's backs to get from place to place, but never this high up. She'd never felt freer in her whole life!

"Hold on tight."

Lance suddenly spoke into her ear. He placed one steady hand on Dragonite's back, and wrapped his free arm securely around her stomach.

"Huh?"

Her heart pumped even faster with excitement when Lance suddenly urged Dragonite to swoop in large, exaggerated circles through the air without any signs of slowing down. It was a pleasant surprise, and Lyra couldn't help but laugh right outloud from the intense sensations, the ever-present danger of falling, and the gusts of wind whipping through her hair and past her shoulders. Boy, was she glad that she'd decided to tuck her beloved hat away before climbing on Dragonite's back earlier!

She looked over her shoulder at Lance and gasped.

His facial expression wasn't one she'd ever seen before: his jaw muscles were completely relaxed, his eyes were bright with innocent excitement, his grin wide and engaging and so darn _roguish_ and _mischievous_ and... hot damn.

Lance was always careful of his public appearance. Every single day he would work hard to keep up the proud, unshakeable, wise and gravely dramatic Dragon Master facade he had donned ever since his days as an Elite Four member. Sometimes he even acted that way when he was with Lyra when they were in public together. Lyra loved teasing him about it whenever he slipped "out-of-character", but also couldn't help but feel compassion for how hard he worked to succeed his Grandfather as the next heir to the Blackthorn dragon clan.

But now there were no signs of that ambitious, focused and slightly twisted man. He had been replaced with this incredibly attractive stranger.

She was so enraptured by the rare sight that it took her six full seconds to realize that he had already noticed her intent gaze and was looking right back at her now.

Before she could turn away from embarrassment, Lance's face leaned closer and closer-

_Was he going to kiss her?!_

-until their foreheads were touching. Seeing his brown eyes so up close like this - seeing the reflection of her own eyes in his - she felt her blush fade away along with her embarrassment... actually, it was kind of nice.

And intimate.

She was not completely dense - she at least knew that Lance was doing _this_ on purpose.

They had been dancing around each other for quite some time now under the continuous charade of mentor and student. Months of stolen glances, sweet smiles, "friendly" Pokemon battles and tender goodbyes full of longing. Lyra had been really looking forward to today before all this _'Find me'_ stuff; she was hoping that they could finally openly acknowledge their attraction for each other after the tournament and maybe start to see each other in an authentic romantic sense.

Yes, she was smitten. Ethan, Whitney and her other friends would constantly point out Lance's true nature to her - his arrogance, hamminess and sadistic tendencies - but they didn't need to. Because somehow, Lyra had come to accept and even enjoy the many ways Lance baited her. She also drew a perverse pleasure from overcoming the obstacles and beating him at his own games.

Huh... so in a way, she could be just as twisted as Lance.

"What are you thinking about?" They were so close to each other right now they didn't even need to shout over the howling wind.

She pondered on his question for a moment, and decided to test how candid she could get with him. "You're really weird."

"Weird? In what way?"

"Is this the real you that I'm seeing? Or is it just one of your many masks? Do you even know who you really are?"

"What a coincedence. I can't help but wonder the same thing about you."

He was evading the questions, but that was fine. She knew he would talk to her if he felt he was ready.

"What does that mean?"

"Sometimes, I feel like you become someone else..."

"Someone else?"

"Yes. Without warning, the usual 'you' that I know... mysteriously... becomes beautiful in a way that just draws me in. Like an angel."

Lyra was starting to blush again, but she scoffed, "Did you really just compare me to an _angel_? Can't you be a little more creative?"

"I'm not trying to be creative." She could see the honesty in his brown eyes.

Oh.

Oh, _oh_. They were _really_ pushing the verbal boundaries of their "mentor/student" relationship today, weren't they?

His chuckle was sensual, and Lyra felt herself shiver. This one wasn't from embarrassment, but her body's natural reaction to him. And despite how chilly it was up in the sky, for some reason she was starting to feel really warm-

Lance's gaze broke away from hers, shifting to the right. "There's Goldenrod City now."

Just like that, the magic spell was broken. Good timing too, because the situation between them was getting awkward. (If you know what I mean.)

Indeed, Lyra could finally see Goldenrod City through the puffy clouds.

...And not long after, reality came crashing down around her: she still needed to find the guy who broke into Ethan's house, the guy who had sent her the mysterious messages. Grrr, she was going to have to give this mysterious person a _stern talking-to_ about cockblocking her on Valentines Day of all days!

* * *

Dragonite landed right at the entrance to the Golden Coliseum at 6:43am.

Many service trucks and police squad cars were parked haphazardly along the loading/unloading zones; TV station crew members and Coliseum caretakers rushed about the area, moving equipment into the building, arguing over the placement of the different specialty stands and just generally barking orders at each other. The air was full of tension - a tension that seemed to escalate with the appearance of Champion Lance and soon-to-be-Champion Lyra.

"Good morning! Is there anything I can help you with, sir?"

A couple of security guards had wasted no time approaching the pair. They addressed Lance while Lyra stood off to one side, fixing her rumpled clothes and hat.

"Good morning. I am here on official League business of grave importance. May I speak to your superiors?"

Lyra resisted the urge to snicker at the phrase '_grave importance'_. There was just something about the way he said it that made it hard for her to take seriously despite how serious her situation really was.

"Right away, sir! Please, step this way."

Lance and Lyra followed a young male security guard to a temporary security outpost, which was set up right next to the parking lot. After making sure the pair were settled inside, he stepped out and radioed his position.

The Dragon Tamer went to stand in front of the open window, lost in thought. Meanwhile Lyra checked her Pokegear - and found a text message from Ethan that was nine minutes old.

__Text me back when you get the chance! I just got an idea about this psycho.__

__What idea?__ Lyra asked.

The reply was almost instant. __It's kinda long. Call me from a secure location!__

__What about Lance?__

__That's up to you to decide after we've talked.__

Lyra blinked uneasily at Ethan's latest message. Did Ethan not trust Lance? If not, then why did he allow Lyra to Fly to Goldenrod City alone with Lance in the first place?

"Lance, I'm just going to step outside for a minute and make a phone call!"

He glanced at her over his shoulder. "That's fine. Actually, do you want to go ahead and start looking around for a sign from the sender? The sooner we get on it, the better. I'll just catch up to you once I've gotten express permission from the head of security."

He was acting a bit more formal with her compared to earlier... he's probably worried about his reputation. Again. "I'd like that, actually. I'll call you right away if I find anything!"

Lance hesitated, then said, "Take care." He looked like he really wanted to do more than that, though.

Lyra returned the sentiment with a smile and a little wave, but once she was outside the outpost she sighed. Lance's two-faced act was definitely one of the biggest obstacles that got in their way. Hopefully one day she'd convince him to be more honest around her in public.

After a bit of wandering, Lyra spotted a small, shady niche between two trailer trucks in the employee parking lot and decided that this was as "private" as she could manage.

One quick speed-dial later:

"Hey, Ethan, I'm alone like you asked. Now tell me this brilliant idea of yours."

"Gee Lyra, a pleasant morning to you, too! I'm doing pretty swell, how about you?"

"Can we cut to the chase?" Lyra groaned, rolling her eyes. "It hasn't even been an hour since I last talked to you!"

"Hehehe, sorry about that. AHEM! First of all, I definitely won't be chasing this creep all over creation with you. Instead, I've decided to keep a look-out for him right here in my house."

"Huh?"

"Well, y'know, because the culprit always returns to the scene of the crime. Like on TV!"

"Hmm... then maybe I should've stuck to my original plan and waited it out at your house, then?"

"Trust me, you wouldn't want to be here once my dad finally gets back home. When I told him about the break-in over the phone I thought he was going to have a seizure."

"Scaredy-cat."

"Hahahaha, I suppose I am a coward."

"..."

"..."

Lyra grimaced. "So... that's it? _This_ was your big plan?"

"Wh- No! Not even scratching the surface! Geez! Okay, here it is, for real this time!" She heard him take a deep breath. "You should get a third opinion about everything from somebody else you trust. Preferably face-to-face so it's a whole lot easier. Get a better perspective, y'know? Sure, Lance may be good at finding dirt, but... yeah... yeah, I suppose I don't trust him as much as you do."

"Why, though?"

"I already told you; so you can get a better perspective."

"No, I meant why don't you trust Lance?"

"It... it's a guy thing, okay?" Ethan mumbled. "I'm going to make good on my promise and keep an eye out for anything suspicious here, it's just that... it just doesn't sit well with me that my best friend is trekking around Johto with some strange dude."

Lyra was unconvinced. Ethan never had a problem with Lance before. Heck, this morning _he_ was the one who said that everything would be alright now that Lance was helping her out. Still, she felt touched by her friend's obvious concern. "Ethan, Lance is the Pokemon League Champion... but, I promise I'll try asking somebody else for help, too. Like, maybe the Prime Minister?"

"You better! Maybe he'll let you borrow his private guard!" Ethan jokingly declared, at the same time sounding very relieved. "And if anything happens, call me!"

"I thought you'd stick around the house and wait for the culprit?"

"Doesn't matter. You just need to call, and Super Ethan will definitely come! As long as it's before the last train, that is."

"Pffft!" His proclamation was so unexpected, so dumb, and yet so _Ethan_ that she couldn't help but laugh. "What the heck? Does that mean you wouldn't make it after the last train?"

"Sorry, Super Ethan can't fly."

"Hee hee hee, what a realistic hero. Is that why you don't ever clean your room? Too busy saving lives?"

"Not _lives_ per se, just one life in particular. And it's a doozy of a full-time job since she always manages to get herself into trouble!"

"So now it's my fault why your room's messy?! You just wait until I get my hands on you, Ethan!"

"Mwahahaha, I'd like to see you try! If you can find me, that is," Ethan taunted. "I'll be hiding where you'll never even think to look when you get back!"

"And I'm the champion of hide and seek!" Lyra shot back. "Or do you need to be reminded how I always found you whenever we played together?"

"Tempting, but I'll pass - I don't want you throwing any more surprise water balloons at my head. Those things were freaking cold!"

Their conversation dynamics hadn't changed much, even after 14 whole years of knowing each other. Once, Whitney had told Lyra that whenever she and Ethan met, it was akin to a_ thundering explosion_. They never seemed to run out of things to talk about, they had a lot of common interests, they played every and any game they could think of, and their usual "arguments" were always childish and petty. No matter how many new people Lyra would come into contact with she wouldn't find another quite like her childhood friend... not that she'd have it any other way.

"...But, well, even though I've suffered, I'm glad I could hear your stupid laughter again." Said childhood friend was suddenly serious. "Ever since you found that white cardboard box in my bedroom, you've been completely out of it. I mean, not even Lance flirting with you could pull you completely out of your funk."

She _had_ been out of it. But actually, just a few minutes ago she had been having the time of her life riding on Dragonite's back. It (and her sweet moment with Lance) had really helped lift her spirits.

...

Did Lance do that on purpose, to make her feel better? He must've noticed how fraught with worry she was.

And so did Ethan apparently, because her best friend was now trying to cheer her up even though they were miles away from each other!

She sighed. It was as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Here she was, thinking that she had to deal with the secret sender all alone. But from the very beginning of this fiasco there were people who wanted to support her, _had been_ supporting her. And here Ethan was, trying to convince her to get even_ more_ help! Ugh, why did the two most important men in her life have to be so damn wonderful?

"...Ethan?"

"Yeah?"

She couldn't stop the silly grin stretching across her lips. "Thanks."

"You dummy. You don't need to pretend everything is alright."

"You're the dummy! And I'm not pretending." Lyra paused. "Truth is, I have a feeling that everything _will_ be alright, somehow."

"...Woman's intuition?"

"Maybe. I don't know."

"Well, you're starting to sound much better than earlier, so I believe you. Super Ethan's work here is done! I'll just hang up now before Lance starts wondering where you are."

"He won't, because he thinks I'm looking for clues."

"Eh, doesn't change anything! So take care of yourself, don't forget my advice, and give 'em hell for ruining your V-Day date with the Dragon Master!"

"You bet I will!"

With a fond smile on her lips, Lyra hung up. Her conversation with Ethan had energized her to the max; she felt like she was totally ready for anything! Heck, she felt prepared to face the mystery message sender _head-on_!

She took one step out into the open-

"Wh-?!"

"Argh?!"

-and crashed right into Silver.

The force of the impact was enough to throw both teens to the ground. Lyra groaned. Her newfound energy had lasted for... all of two seconds, perhaps? And in its place was pain. PAIN. _In her hindquarters_. Geez, first some creep messes up her Valentines Day plans, then her sweet time with Lance back at Ethan's house got interrupted by her best friend, and now she had literally walked right into one of the most confusing and difficult guys in her life! It's a conspiracy! A conspiracy of the universe!

"You?!" The redhead squawked, scrambling to his feet. "What are _you_ doing here?!"

"That's _my_ line!" Lyra cried.

...In hindsight (no pun intended), maybe she should've seen this coming. Even when she was a rookie trainer, travelling all over Johto and collecting the Gym Badges she had always ended up crossing paths with the teenage thug standing in front of her. But it was still a conspiracy! A conspiracy against her happiness!

"Ugh, I have no time to deal with the likes of you. I'm leaving."

"Wait!"

She honestly had no idea why she had lurched forward, grabbing onto his legs. She honestly didn't mean to trip Silver and make him fall flat on his face. The idea that had popped up in her mind had hit her as fast and as forceful as summer lightning - and she needed to stop the boy from leaving or else she'd never find him again.

Silver angrily wiped the dirt away from his face with his sleeve. Lyra could swear she could hear him growling. As in actual growling.

"Let go of my legs, you stupid girl!"

"Hear me out, Silver!"

"No!"

"Please! It's really important!"

"Let me go, dammit! There might be people watching!"

At that Lyra whipped her head around frantically, scanning the area for curious onlookers. She found none. He did make a good point, though.

"I'll let go if you promise to hear me out! I swear!"

"Rrrgh..."

"Please, Silver? I just want to ask you one little thing!"

"Fine... just,_ fine_! Just let me go already." He sounded more defeated than pissed.

Lyra gingerly released her arms from his legs, and Silver slowly brought himself to an upright sitting position. He smacked away Lyra's hand, which was offering a handkerchief to wipe his face with, and fixed a heated glare on the offending girl's face.

"Well?" He snarled.

"How do you break into a house without leaving any traces of the actual break-in?" She blurted out.

"What?! Do I look like the kind of guy who does that for a living?!"

"B-b-but, you managed to break into Professor Elm's Lab-"

"I am _finished_ with you!"

Silver surged to his feet... tried to, anyway. Lyra reached out and grabbed onto his legs again, earning herself a dirty look from him.

"LET. ME. GO."

"Please, Silver!" Lyra wailed, holding on as tightly as she could lest he start kicking her. "There was a break-in, but there were no signs of forced entry or anything, but we know somebody definitely snuck in because he left a package and Lance even-"

"Ghost-type Pokemon."

"-said that this guy was watching me from the shadows to see if I was going to follow his-" Lyra abruptly stopped, finally realizing that Silver had said something. "W-what?"

"Didn't you hear me, doofus? I said, Ghost-type Pokemon." Silver sighed loudly, as if he were trying to expel some of his stress. "The dude doesn't even need to walk in himself... he could've gotten his Ghost-type Pokemon to do it for him."

"A Ghost-type Pokemon... right, I suppose that is another plausible way. Now I feel kind of stupid for not thinking of it earlier."

"Geez, what the hell is up with you, asking me something like that?! And what's this about a break-in?"

"It's- it's kind of a long story."

"Did somebody break into Professor Elm's lab or something? ...It wasn't me this time."

"No, not in Professor Elm's lab."

Lyra took a deep breath and gave Silver and appraising look. He looked as riled up as usual... but he also managed to look somewhat concerned. Ethan _did_ ask her to get a third opinion from somebody she trusted, and while Silver was difficult to deal with, the two of them had finally gotten over their differences two years ago and were now friends. Sort of. And besides, Silver had a pretty good(?) relationship with Ethan, too. He deserved to know.

"Well, damn. I've never seen you look like..." Silver awkwardly gestured to her face. "I mean, you normally have this stupid carefree smile on your face. I mean-" He snapped his mouth shut in an effort to prevent himself from saying anything more.

Lyra jumped at the chance to continue her story before the male tried to run away again. "Somebody broke into Ethan's house some time between late last night and earlier this morning."

Silver stilled. "What was stolen?" He asked quietly.

"Nothing, actually. The intruder left a package instead."

For the third time that day, Lyra explained everything that had transpired, from the mysterious doorbell ringing to why she was at the Golden Coliseum at present. Throughout the entire spiel the redhead had remained silent, with an unreadable expression on his face.

When she finished, Silver deadpanned, "Okay. First things first, let go of my legs-"

"Eep! Sorry!"

"-and second, let's move this conversation somewhere else."

Both teens clambered to their feet, dusting themselves off and readjusting their clothes. Silver grabbed Lyra's upper arm and dragged her back into the niche she had been hiding out in when she had contacted Ethan.

"You."

"...?"

His eyes narrowed. "So you just ate up everything that ephebo fed you, huh?"

"Wh- are you talking about Lance?! Lay off, Silver! He was-"

"-only trying to help, he truly cares, he's amazing, blah blah blah. I know. You've made that point perfectly clear. So if he's that trustworthy, why did you ask me for help, then?"

It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him that Ethan had advised her to get a third opinion, but she stopped herself. Because really, that was all it was - advise from her concerned best friend, advice she didn't need to follow. It was her own decision to spill her problem to Silver no matter what her reasons were. It was her own decision, and nobody else's.

He closed his eyes. "Look, Lyra. You can slog through your inner angst later. Show me the stuff you found, first."

"...Fine. Here."

Silver took the white card she found at Ethan's front door, and the white cardboard box she found in his room, from the girl. She watched him study the card for all of seven seconds before concentrating on the box and its contents.

"Huh. Never thought I'd see something like this here, of all places."

He studied the little black cube that was inside, looking more interested than he'd ever allowed himself to be before.

"Do you know what it is?"

"I don't."

"But you said-"

"Have you heard of the Black Box Theory?"

"Uhh... no?"

"...This thing here is the ultimate example of the Black Box Theory. No one knows how it works, just that it does."

"So... what _does_ it do, exactly?"

"No clue. But if it was given to you, then you must need to use it at some point."

That was what Lance had told her, as well. A curious black cube that did _something_, but as of the moment its importance was a complete mystery. Earlier that morning Lance had thought it was like the Pokemon evolution items...

"How do I use it, though?"

"You just do," he spat, irritated. He unceremoniously shoved the card and the cardboard box back into her unprepared hands. "...Heh, well, looks like you have your first suspect."

"...Huh? Who?"

Lyra stared at Silver uncomprehendingly. Silver stared right back.

"..."

"..."

A certain handsome, polite Gym Leader she admired came to mind. Lyra felt as if she'd been punched multiple times in her stomach. "H-hold on-" she stuttered. "You can't be serious-"

"I didn't say anything." He shrugged. "You came to that conclusion yourself."

"But you implied it!"

"I don't remember doing anything of the sort."

"You were _thinking_ it!"

"So what if I was? Is he the only guy you know who has Ghost-type Pokemon? Maybe you should get out and meet more people."

"I don't want to hear that from the likes of _you_, you hypocrite!"

She argued with him, frantically denying everything - but the seeds of suspicion and betrayal had already been planted in her head. It all made horrible, horrible sense to her now... and yet, she just couldn't accept it... she couldn't.

Without really seeing where she was going, she whirled around and tried to run away from-

From...

From Silver? From the sudden claustrophobia she felt? Or from the new possibility Silver had shown her - the new possibility she had allowed herself to consider? Why didn't anyone tell her how painful it was to suspect one of her friends? Then maybe she could've prevented herself from opening Pandora's Box.

"Oi-"

The happiness she'd felt from her conversation with Ethan seemed to fade away. Now there was only horror, paranoia-

"Oi! _Get back, you dumbass_!" The teen hissed softly. Silver grabbed Lyra, dragging her back into the shade. He covered her mouth with one of his hands. When she cocked her eyebrow at him, he gestured forwards with his chin.

Speak of the devil.

Morty, the Ecruteak Gym Leader, was standing no less than seven yards away from the niche where they hid - headband, purple scarf and all.

_Oh my God, he's actually here... is the secret sender Morty? Is it really him?!_ Lyra screamed in her head.

The gentle Seer was her friend. She loved spending time with him and his Ghost Pokemon in the romantic, historical city. In the late afternoons they would stand and chat quietly together, surrounded by the eternal gold and red leaves of the Bellchime Path. Sometimes he would ask her to stay for dinner, or for tea, and he would entertain her with stories and legends that he had studied as he grew up.

No, no, NO! No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't imagine him ordering his faithful Ghosts to unlawfully sneak into people's houses, much less breaking into them himself! He wouldn't _need_ to break in - he was just so likeable and friendly that people would throw their doors wide open for him!

She wanted to say these things to Silver, who still had his hand clamped tightly over her mouth-

"Morty, there you are!"

A very pretty girl with bubblegum pink locks and denim shorts suddenly appeared, looking pissed.

"Isn't that the Goldenrod City Gym Leader?" Silver whispered. "I can't hear what they're saying..."

Lyra watched the scene unfolding before her with rapt attention. Whitney strode right up to the blonde man in her usual girly, flippant way... was it just Lyra, or was the girl forcing it? Nope, she was definitely forcing herself. Morty himself returned the greeting easily enough, but it also seemed quite strained on his part.

Both Leaders looked very uneasy as they exchanged words in hushed, urgent tones, and while this went on Morty kept glancing around, as if wary of someone finding them. Whitney's face flushed red with frustration at one point and socked her blonde companion in the arm._ Hard_. Morty hastily apologized, earning a glare. Finally, after some more whispering their conversation came to an end, and Whitney took off, shaking her head and muttering to herself. The Ghost-type specialist, however, was content to stay right where he currently stood. He didn't look like he was going to leave anytime soon, either.

"I wonder what that was about...?"

Lyra's confusion was entirely justified. Whenever those two Gym Leaders ever crossed paths they were always so casual with each other. This was the first time she had ever witnessed them... fight? Did they really just have an argument?

"I'll distract him, and you sneak around back and start looking for the next clue."

She blinked at him, startled. "Are you sure?"

"If he really is the bastard who left you those secret messages... and is following you around... then he had it coming."

Silver unclipped a Pokeball from his belt. His gaze was hard and resolute.

Lyra knew that look - she had been on the receiving end of it multiple times, after all. "Y-you're going to challenge him to a Pokemon battle?!"

His voice was cold, malicious and impatient. "I told you, he had it coming to him. Only _cowards_ and _weaklings_ do passive-aggressive stuff to girls like leaving them secret messages. _And I hate cowards and weaklings_."

"And if it wasn't him?" Lyra insisted, trying to inject some common sense into his logic.

"If not... well, it doesn't matter."

Before Lyra could say anything else to deter him, Silver swaggered out into the open and walked across the parking lot towards the Ghost-specialist.

"Hey!"

Morty slowly turned around. "Good morning, may I help you?" His voice was deceptively calm.

"You're the Ecruteak Gym Leader, right?" Lyra heard Silver say with exaggerated humility as he pressed the release button on his Pokeball. With a flash of red light, Weavile popped into existence, perching on the redhead's shoulders. "My Weavile's claws are sharp enough to slice human necks. Want to see?"

Lyra shuddered and forced herself to get moving. Silver was plenty skilled enough to take on a Gym Leader, but Morty could be merciless when pushed. She didn't want to stick around and watch what promised to be a terrifying spectacle any longer than she needed to. Besides, they wouldn't actually kill each other, so she didn't need to worry about leaving them alone. Probably.

And if Morty really was the culprit (oh God, she really hoped not)... she needed to finish this wild-goose chase and find enough evidence against him.

* * *

The atmosphere inside the Coliseum was tense with confusion. Everyone was trying to focus on their work, but they were noticeably distracted and excited, chatting furiously with each other about something that had happened.

"The monitors..."

"...bizarre..."

"Ever since..."

"...logistics can't..."

"...what it means?"

"...obviously Valentines Day..."

"Seriously, who would..."

"...some kind of..."

"I don't really..."

"...a message?"

"A prank, or..."

"...who Lyra is?"

That caught Lyra's attention like nothing ever had.

The soon-to-be-Champion had wasted fifteen minutes outside already - she needed to start looking for a sign from the mysterious card sender before the day ended. Swallowing her shyness, she determinedly marched right up to the women gossiping animatedly with each oother while arranging flower bouquets in one corner of the massive hall. "Um, excuse me! Could any of you please tell me what's going on?"

The women exchanged glances and mutters. Finally, one middle-aged decorator stepped forward. The Champion-to-be recognized her as the flowershop saleslady who gave her a watering can several years ago. "Does your name happen to be 'Lyra'?"

"Err... yes?"

"You better head straight to the Inner Elysian, young lady," the woman advised gently. "And take a good look at the overhead monitors."

"The overhead monitors... got it! Thanks!"

The Golden Coliseum was one of the largest and tallest buildings in the city - about ten stories high - and mainly where all the important non-Pokemon sports events took place, but was soon overshadowed by the Pokeathlon, which had opened close by Goldenrod City some years ago. According to urban legend the architect was a madman, hence the large number of areas and rooms, each dedicated to a specific sport or physical activity.

To this day, the Coliseum miraculously still stands strong as one of THE greatest centers for sports festivals and competitions, and recently has also become a place for other kinds of entertainment - such as the Boyce Avenue concert that would be held at 1pm today.

The Inner Elysian was supposed to be an indoor recreation of a wild, grassy plain for soccer or football, but certain changes were made for said concert: the stage had already been set up, dominating a whole fourth of the whole place, and the goalposts were temporarily removed. Meanwhile the techs moved about fixing the sound system and the lights in a much more orderly fashion than the crew members back at the Coliseum entrance. Stacks of chairs dotted the freshly mowed lawn, waiting to be separated and arranged. The four huge, sleek overhead monitors were already in good working order, and there were neon green words flashing onscreen-

_**Find me, Lyra, at 7.15, at 7:15, at 7+15, at 715.**_

"Holy lasagna."

That was from the culprit, right?

Definitely from the culprit.

Looks like Lance's deductions were right on the mark. However, she wasn't expecting it to be this _obvious_. Lyra stared at the monitors, frozen. It was an odd feeling - seeing a personal message get broadcasted in such an embarrassing way, yet somehow managing to remain as a secret whose real meaning were reserved only for herself, her friends and the sender himself.

The message, apparently addressed to her, flashed across the screens again. And again. _And again_.

_**Find me, Lyra, at 7.15, at 7:15, at 7+15, at 715.**_

But what was up with those numbers? Seven, one and five. Written in four different ways. Coordinates? A codename? A place? Or did the numbers represent something completely different than what she was thinking?

"YOU!"

A hand grabbed Lyra by the shoulder and roughly whipped her around.

"Whoa- Whitney?!"

"Don't _'whoa Whitney'_ me! And stop messing around with the equipment already, it's distracting the stage crew!" Her voice brooked no disobedience. "How are the girls at the very back of the audience supposed to admire the_ Boyce Avenue_ members' handsome faces without those monitors?!"

"But I'm not messing around with anything!"

Whitney pointed at the monitors, which were still flashing the neon green message. "Then how do you explain _that_?!"

Lyra was torn. The Goldenrod Gym Leader didn't look like she was going to let her off the hook that easily. But would telling her the truth really be wise? They were indeed friends, but Lyra didn't want to involve every single person she came across today.

"Well? I'm waiting for an explanation, sweetie."

"Um... uhhh-"

"Unfortunately, that strange equipment malfunction is beyond our control, Whitney."

The Dragon Master had a great sense for dramatic interruptions. Like now. Neither girl had even noticed him slink towards them, nor did they know what hole he'd crawled out of, or how his black cape could flutter in the nonexistent wind like that.

"Lance!" Lyra exclaimed, relieved to see him after what seemed like days (when really, it had only been a few minutes). "This is just too _weird_!"

"'Weird' is right. The security chief mentioned this when I spoke with him back at the temporary guard outpost; apparently, the monitors have been _malfunctioning_ since six-thirty, with no identifiable cause." Lance crossed his arms over his chest. "I've also spoken to some of the staff. They believe it can be fixed eventually... still, whoever pulled this must be a technician of considerable skill, or perhaps a hacker."

So the mysterious message sender was good with technology?

Whitney copied Lance's stance. "What do you _mean_, it's beyond our control?! If this ruins the _Boyce Avenue_ concert, I swear I'll-"

"As I've already told you, the staff believe it will be fixed eventually."

"But how soon is 'eventually'?!"

_BWINK!_

"?!"

Almost at once, all electricity-powered devices died, including the lights. Alarmed cries immediately sprang up from all directions, and the theater was brimming with anxiety. Lyra whipped her head around in wary - she had had too many experiences battling with Team Rocket grunts who liked using the darkness to their advantage, as they would constantly look for ways to turn off the lights at any given indoor location.

"...How soon is 'eventually'?" Whitney repeated her earlier question in the darkness. She seemed too annoyed to even bother with the cut off electricity. "And how many more of these stupid setbacks before I'm allowed to have fun on Valentines Day?!"

"I understand how you feel, Whitney," Lyra offered, relaxing when she heard the girl's prissy tone. If she wasn't freaking out, then she didn't need to, either. "I have yet to catch a break, and it's still too early in the morning for me."

"Hmph. At least you still get to spend it with your boy."

"E-eh? I suppose so."

Luckily, Lance had long since marched off to interrogate the technicians milling about the Inner Elysian, and wasn't hearing their conversation.

"Lyra?"

"Yes, Whitney?"

"I'm sorry for attacking you earlier," said the older girl mournfully. "I'm just so... frustrated. And I ended up pinning it all on you."

_Are you mad because of your argument with Morty earlier?_ Lyra wanted to know more about what they had been talking about in the parking lot, but was afraid of Whitney's reaction. And besides, how was she supposed to explain that she didn't mean to spy on them? So she bit her lip and tried to think of something else to say to the Gym Leader. "...We all have those days, don't mention it!"

"Thanks!"

Just then, Whitney sidled up next to Lyra. "Sooo... how are you and Lance doing? Have you made it official yet?"

Lyra blushed hotly, and was grateful that it was too dark to see clearly. "No..."

"I'd swear that man was making you wait on purpose if it weren't so obvious how insufferably shy you two are around each other in public. What else is taking him so long to claim you? Waiting around doesn't fit him at all. Has he at least kissed you yet?"

"No, we haven't done anything like that."

"Really? I guess shyness isn't the only thing he's suffering from, then."

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing, nothing at all," Whitney sing-songed. "Change of topic! Rumor has it that you both arrived at the same time, on his Dragonite. Just what were you two naughty kids doing together so early in the morning, hmm?"

"It's not what you think," Lyra protested. "I was sleeping over at my friend Ethan's place, and-"

"You _idiot_!"

Whitney whopped Lyra upside her head.

"Ow!"

"Don't casually stay overnight at other men's houses, no matter what your relationship with them is! Are you trying to make your Dragon Tamer mad?"

"I already told you, Ethan and I are friends!"

"Ugh, you're hopeless!" Whitney groaned. "Anyways, how is this related to the reason why you and Lance arrived at the Golden Coliseum together?"

Lyra decided to go for a half-truth. "There was a break-in at Ethan's house, and Lance came to check if we were okay."

"Whoa, that's intense. A break-in? Really? Was anything stolen? Most importantly, are you okay?"

Still sticking to half-truths. "Nothing was stolen. And I've already recovered from the shock. Mostly, anyways. But thanks for asking."

"That's good, then. The thief was probably too intimidated by the face of our new Champion Lyra, huh?" Whitney giggled and nudged her rib.

"Yeah..."

The idea that the culprit was watching Lyra's face while she slept was downright creepy.

"And you are still one of the most dense girls I have ever met. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I feel bad for Lance," Whitney said dramatically. "I'm begging you, girl, think about his feelings! God only knows the rage and hurt and _jealousy_ he must've felt after learning that the woman he loves was staying at another man's house for the night!"

"But he didn't seem mad or jealous to me," Lyra rushed out, defensive. "He seemed pretty chill about it. He was more concerned by the break-in."

"Lyra, you know better than anyone how two-faced that guy really is! He probably put on a good act for you so you wouldn't freak out, and then threatened poor Ethan with the most unspeakable torture you can imagine behind your back!"

The idea of Lance, the man she was absolutely crazy about, threatening her childhood friend with pain or _worse_ was too terrible contemplate... what would the most unspeakable torture for Ethan would be, anyways? Abruptly, her messed-up brain conjured up very convincing images of Lance threatening Ethan with cleaning, and Lyra cracked up.

"Ahahahaha!"

"?! Why are you laughing?! What's so funny about your friend getting tortured?!" Whitney sputtered. "Rrgh, this proves it! You and that sadist Lance belong with each other in unholy matrimony! It's times like these I wonder why we're friends!"

"It's- it's not what you think! I can explain!" Lyra wailed, struggling to smother her giggles.

"What's so funny?" Lance asked, walking up to the girls. Judging by his face, the conversation with the crew members did not go so well.

"She's revelling in the idea of Ethan getting tortured," Whitney piped up.

"N-no! That's not true!"

"And so? What did they say, Lance?"

He exhaled, frustrated. "Somebody was messing with the building's main circuit breakers, and they're having a hard time accessing it because some wise guy locked the steel box encasing the entire thing and hid the key. This level of sabotage will have to be reported to the police... only..."

"Only, what?" Whitney prodded.

"All of the main entrances were electricity powered. As of the moment, we're all locked in until they get everything up and running once again."

At this revelation, Lyra began to worry. Someone had sabotaged the Golden Coliseum, that alone was a cause for concern. But it was the thought all these innocent people trapped inside the Gym as well that really got to her. Who would do such a thing? Who would endanger all of these people without a shred of remorse or hesitation? ...Her secret sender? No, there was no clear indication of it. So, who? And for what reasons?

Lyra turned around and started to backtrack towards the way she came. Lance followed her. "Lyra, it doesn't look like they'll get the doors up and functional any time soon, so I think we should try tomething else for now." He pulled out his Pokegear from his back pocket. "I've copied down the secret message from earlier," he explained, and showed her the display.

_**Find me, Lyra, at 7.15, at 7:15, at 7+15, at 715.**_

Lyra was actually planning to investigate the sudden power outage, but Lance did have a point. Making sense of the new secret message was what she'd come all the way to Goldenrod City for after all. So she borrowed his phone and stared at the message, forcing herself to think. She could worry about the blackout later.

"It has the phrase _'Find me, Lyra'_, again. It might be another _Boyce Avenue_ reference," Lance interjected.

"Maybe." Her eyes were drawn to the Pokegear's digital clock interface. It was 7:01am. "Well, I guess the second number in the sequence is actually referring to a specific time? The secret sender wants me to find him at _seven-fifteen_?" Lyra hypothesized. "I may be on a strict time limit, especially if he meant seven-fifteen in the morning. Which is in fourteen minutes."

"Then we'd better hurry and figure out what those other numbers mean."

_**Find me, Lyra, at 7.15, at 7:15, at 7+15, at 715.**_

"_'Seven plus fifteen'_ is twenty-two," Lance murmured. "Does that number mean anything to you, Lyra?"

"I can't think of anything..."

Was it just her, or did the difficulty level of these secret messages take a steep climb?

"It might not even be simple addition. It could mean_ 'seven and fifteen'_, instead. The first and the last numbers in the sequence seem straightforward enough, though - _'seven point fifteen'_ and _'seven hundred fifteen'_..."

"Maybe there's a clue in how many times he used seven, one and fifteen?"

"I don't know..."

What would Ethan suggest if he were with her now? Lyra wondered absently. Probably some cliche solution that he'd picked up from watching TV. And if Silver were still with her, he would've come up with something much simpler than she'd been expecting, like earlier. Lyra still didn't want to believe that Morty was the responsible party, but he was at the top of her suspects list. And currently the only one. ...Speaking of Silver, where was the redhead, anyways? Did he get trapped inside the Coliseum just like everyone else?

The pair continued their discussion until they finally reached the large winding main staircase. Several people were sitting on the marble steps, chatting with each other, resting or playing with their phones. Others glanced up curiously at the duo's arrival, but because it was too dark they couldn't really register who they were looking at, so they gave up.

"Where do these stairs lead?" Lyra wondered aloud. She had taken the elevator up to the Inner Elysian, and she wasn't familiar with the layout of the Coliseum.

A random female sitting on the stairs heard her question, and spoke up. "If you take these stairs you'll pass Levels D through B, all the way down to Level A, which is the ground floor."

Lyra absorbed this. "Uh, thank you. By the way, if you don't mind me asking - how many levels are there? And how do I get to the higher floors?"

"Not counting the underground parking lot, there are ten levels total. A being the lowest, and J the highest. If you want to get to the higher levels, you'll need to take the staircase located past the north-east exit of the Inner Elysian."

Lyra thanked the lady once again before stepping away and heading in the direction that had been pointed out to her.

"What do you plan to do?" Lance inquired. He quietly walked beside her at a relatively similar pace.

Lyra turned to look at him, both of their faces partially illuminated by the glow from Lance's Pokegear. "...I've thought of something," she admitted. "The third number in the sequence, _'seven plus fifteen'_, could be referring to... well, the seventh floor of the Coliseum or something, plus... something else. A room number, maybe."

"That's plausible, and it fits in nicely with the time we were given," Lance mused. "So the perp wishes for you to find him in a room related to the number fifteen, which is located on the seventh floor, at seven-fifteen." He glanced at the clock on the phone screen. "We have twelve more minutes. Let's go ahead with your idea and check out the seventh floor. If it turns out we were wrong, well...we'll cross that bridge when we get there."

Back at the Inner Elysian, Whitney had made herself comfortable on the lawn, pulling at the blades of grass while waiting for the electricity to come back on. When Lyra and Lance were close enough for her to recognize, she sprung to her feet and jogged up to them. "Where did you guys go? I don't understand how you can move around in this darkness like it's no big deal!"

"Whitney, we would love to stay and chat but we're in a bit of a hurry," Lance interjected before Lyra could speak.

Whitney cocked a delicate eyebrow at him. "Suuuure, whatever, but Lance? I don't care how starved you are, but if you get Lyra knocked up you better take responsibility, okay? Because if you don't, I'll personally come to kick your sorry butt!"

Embarrassed heat flooded Lyra's face. Whitney thought that she and Lance were going to... to... _take advantage of the blackout_!

"I would never abandon her," Lance replied with a dead serious expression. "And I would never hurt her."

"You better you live up to your words, cape-boy."

Lance resumed walking without so much as a parting glance, and Lyra - still bewildered and embarrassed - made to follow him but Whitney yanked her back. "I still feel pretty bad for putting you through the wringer earlier, so take this as my apology." She zipped open Lyra's bag without permission and quickly stuffed something in there.

"Wh-"

Whitney hastily closed the bag, raised a finger to her lips and winked. "How you use it is up to you. Have fun with it!"

"?"

"Now hurry and go, your beau is waiting for you!"

Still confused, Lyra thanked the Gym Leader for her kindness anyways and dashed after Lance, who stood waiting a few yards away.

* * *

The time was now 7:07am. Lyra and Lance couldn't move very fast up the staircase as the higher they climbed, the darker it seemed to get, and the shadows seemed to choke them. The silence would have been deafening if not for the steady, continuous thumps of their shoes on each marble step. There were no signs of any other living thing, and they refrained from speaking to much lest they fatigued themselves even faster.

"How are you holding up? Are you feeling tired?"

"A little bit."

Lance used his Pokegear light to look around. "...We've still got some ways to go. Let's take a break right here."

Lyra sank slowly to a sitting position, sighing gratefully. "I'm a little nervous about what we'll find when we get there. Heck, I'm not even one-hundred percent sure that I decoded the message properly." She said, rubbed her hands on the backs of her calves, trying to ease the soreness from climbing.

The entire left side of her body tingled with awareness as his presence eased down right next to her.

"We still need to figure out what the first and the last numbers in the sequence mean," Lance murmured once he had settled, totally oblivious to the way he had affected her.

"_'Seven point fifteen_, and _'seven hundred fifteen'_, Lyra said aloud, suppressing a shiver. "I thought of this before, but maybe they are coordinates?"

"That would be too complicated," Lance disagreed.

They sat together in silence, each with their own thoughts.

Earlier, Ethan had claimed that he didn't trust Lance as much as Lyra did (even though his actions showed otherwise). But Lyra herself didn't feel threatened at all, even though she were all alone with Lance, in the dark.

In fact, this wasn't the first time she had worked alongside Lance in complete darkness. At the Team Rocket base in Mahogany Town, it wasn't nearly as dark as now, but dark enough to warrant the use of Flash. She had been extremely nervous about sneaking into the base of operations for the biggest crime syndicate in Kanto and Johto, but Lance had been there every step of the way as she dodged traps, Rocket grunts and poisonous Pokemon.

At that time, she was an impressionable 16 year old, and she couldn't help but think how heroic and inspiring this strange, cape-wearing man was. Not to mention they'd made a great team.

This was a similar situation; even though Lyra would soon become the new Indigo League Champion, for some reason she felt the same as how she had felt back then - confused, a little bit scared, and yet utterly exhiliarated by the rush of danger and mystery she was going through as she ventured deep into the unknown with Lance, chasing an elusive figure (who may or may not be Morty) by following a series of clues.

Right now, Lyra was feeling _nostalgic_.

"...How about this?" The Dragon Master began. "Perhaps _'seven point fifteen'_ is an actual math problem. We were lead to believe that _'seven plus fifteen'_ was an addition problem, but was actually something else. Maybe it's the same situation: with _'seven point fifteen'_, we were lead to believe it was a number with a decimal point, but in reality it is a multiplication problem."

"But if that's true, then what about _'seven-fifteen'_?" Lyra said excitedly, referring to the "at 7:15" part of the sequence. "Does that mean it isn't referring to the time, like we thought it was? Ooh, like, maybe it's actually a ratio! So the proper way to read it would have to be _'seven is to fifteen'_!"

They were finally getting somewhere! Unable to sit still, Lyra jumped to her feet, pumping her fist in the air. She felt completely fired up!

"If we get moving right now, we should be able to reach the seventh floor in a minute." Lance also stood up, smiling fondly at Lyra's apparent excitement. "Because while the second number in the sequence wasn't a specific time like we thought it was, the fourth one just might be. _'Seven hundred fifteen'_ could be military time, and be read as_ 'seven hundred and fifteen hours'_ instead. With this, we can safely assume that he is referring to 'morning' as opposed to 'night', unlike before."

_**Find me, Lyra, at 7.15, at 7:15, at 7+15, at 715.**_

"So the message reads, _'Find me, Lyra, at '105', at 'seven is to fifteen', at 'the seventh floor (and fifteen)', at 'seven hundred fifteen hours'_. Of course, we still have to figure out what all that math stuff and the other numbers are for, but it's all finally making some sense, Lance!"

Lyra joyfully took a few steps up the staircase before realizing that her companion hadn't moved from his position. "Err, Lance?"

"What a pity. I thought you would hug me again, just like last time."

"Wh- I- stop teasing me!" Lyra squawked, flustered.

Lance abruptly folded his Pokegear closed, plunging them both into complete darkness. After a few seconds, she heard the footsteps. They were getting closer... and closer... and closer. It didn't help that her heart was beating so hard she thought it was going to come flying out of her mouth! Lyra stopped breathing altogether when she felt him standing right in front of her, the material of his cape whispering against his clothes with every move. What was he going to do? Her eyes hadn't adjusted to the darkness yet and she couldn't see a thing!

"L-Lance? The heck was that for? Without light, we won't be able to see where - _eeek?_!" She squealed.

Something soft had brushed tenderly against her cheek for the barest of seconds-

With a satisfying _snap_, Lance flipped open his Pokegear again. He was grinning. "Okay, let's go."

"What _was_ that?! Lance, what did you _do_?!" Lyra demanded, unable to keep a hand off the spot in question. It was tingling, but not in an unpleasant way.

* * *

**SPINNING - 02**

**END**

* * *

**NEXT:** MORE SHENANIGANS IN THE DARK.

* * *

**Fic Updates:**

ver. 1.0 - Uploaded the first chapter! (2/16/14)  
ver. 2.1 - Fixed spelling and grammar mistakes in the first chapter; uploaded the second chapter! (2/21/14)  
ver. 2.3 - Fixed spelling and grammar mistakes, and extended some scenes in the second chapter! (2/22/14)

* * *

**Want more LancexLyra fanfiction?**

Check out "Divine Destiny" by AquilaTempestas and "Before The Fame" by WorldNerd12. They both follow the basic HGSS plotline (although "Before The Fame" itself is just setting the groundwork for a sequel with definite LancexLyra) and are really good reads!


	3. SPINNING - 03

**A/N: **I do not own Pokemon, nor any of the characters, places, etc. mentioned in this fanfiction. And I don't know how to properly write a girl's feelings. (Proper acknowledgements will be made after the ending of the story to prevent spoilers.)

Thanks to **AquilaTempestas, ****MismatchedSocks **and** h3rshybbYs** for reviewing! And this is kind late but thanks to those who've put this story on their alert list!

This chapter has slight swearing, mostly because of Silver. Also, I hope you guys aren't too put off by the riddles - they are important to the overall plot but not on their own, for reasons that I can't say until the end. Contains some backstory exposition near the end.

I hope you'll continue to enjoy this (late) Valentines Day fic!

* * *

**Characters:**

Lyra  
The protagonist. She is very obviously attracted to Lance and, much to her friends' chagrin, is not ashamed to let it show. Lyra's quite easygoing, and tends to let people lead her off in different directions or get her to do things for them, but despite this she always manages to come out on top. She has been reminiscing about her past adventures with Lance all throughout the morning.

Ethan  
Lyra's best friend since forever. His greatest weakness is cleaning his bedroom. A weirdo broke into his house on Valentines Day to leave cryptic messages for Lyra, who was staying over for the night. Admitted to Lyra that he didn't trust Lance, and encouraged her to ask help from an additional person.

Lance  
The object of Lyra's affections. He is a cunning sadist with good publicity. He is also a (self-proclaimed) philanthropist, so he restrains himself (most of the time). Currently helping Lyra decode the messages. He and Silver aren't so different deep down, which is why he is constantly at odds with the teenage thug. He believes that the best way to learn is through experience and enjoy it.

Silver  
Lyra's bitter rival turned token cynical friend. Now he wanders throughout the region training his Pokemon - not because he wants to prove himself, but simply for the sake of being strong. He and Lyra have yet to settle the score, but he doesn't mind helping her out once in a while. Suspects Morty of being the secret sender.

Whitney  
The bubbly Goldenrod City Gym Leader, and Lyra's friend. Is constantly astounded by both Lyra's and Lance's slightly sociopathic views on love. What was she arguing about with Morty in the employee parking lot so early in the morning?

Morty  
Ecruteak City's Gym Leader. Was last seen getting challenged by Silver to a Pokemon battle. Has yet to actually interact with Lyra directly.

* * *

**SPINNING - 03**

* * *

"When I Can't Find The Right Words To Say"

* * *

**_Find me._**

That was what the card had said.

No matter how many times Lyra turned the card over and over in her hands there would be nothing else to see. It was just a plain white card with two words hand printed neatly on it in very fancy, loopy cursive lettering.

**_Find me, Lyra._**

The note from the white cardboard box she found inside Ethan's room by pure coincedence had a similar sounding message, with the same penmanship. Along with the note was an unidentifiable cube that Silver had suspected to be a Black Box, a mysterious object that is supposed to make _something_ happen, but nobody knows how it works.

_**Find me, Lyra, at 7.15, at 7:15, at 7+15, at 715.**_

The third message had been flashed on public screens, in full view of everybody and yet still managed to remain a mystery. It was a complicated multi-part puzzle that even the Dragon Master had difficulty decoding. Yet somehow they'd managed to work out part of it. Kind of.

Thanks to Lance, Ethan and Silver's meddling Lyra was now on the seventh floor of the Golden Coliseum, trying to make her way around the darkened hallways with only Lance's Pokegear light to illuminate the way. The building's power outage had yet to be resolved.

"From the landing where we currently stand, the doors to directly to the south lead to Hall O+I... and to our north over there is Hall N+P," Lance announced, shining the bright bluish light on the wall directory, which consisted of the floor layout and some bit of history about the floor's design. "...Frankly, these names don't make a lot of sense to me. I don't see any obvious logical pattern behind them, besides the chemical element theme mentioned in this particular passage written here. Maybe the architect liked studying the periodic table?"

Lyra stood next to Lance, ignoring the lengthy text describing the history of the Golden Coliseum in favor of the map. In a backwards S-shape, from the top right to the bottom left, the rooms were labelled as-

Hall H+U

Hall B+W

Hall S+V

Hall N+P

Hall O+I

Hall F+Y

Hall C+K

-with the large spiral staircase they had emerged from in the center. She had thought that _'seven plus fifteen'_ was referring to a room on the seventh floor, along the lines of "Room 15" or "Hall 15", but there was nothing that even remotely indicated of the sort. There were only seven unique chambers on this floor, too. "...Was I wrong?" She muttered aloud to herself, disheartened. "I was so sure that this was where we needed to go... I've wasted so much precious time! Now what am I going to do?!" She was so bummed out, beating herself up for her mistakes that she never saw how Lance apologetically glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, or how his hand had begun to reach out to take hers.

And then, she heard it. It was a low, barely audible murmur that rippled in and out of the shadows, just barely within earshot.

It startled her so much, she jumped, and Lance pulled his hand back from surprise. "What's wrong?"

"Shhh!" She shushed him, and concentrated hard, trying to focus on the sound and its source. The pair stilled, holding their breath.

...No dice. Lyra could definitely hear it, but it was much too quiet and muffled to trace.

At least Lance had seemed to pick up on the sound as well, for it served to reinforce Lyra's belief that she wasn't just hearing things. "How peculiar. There is a power outage, so there shouldn't be any electric equipment working at the moment."

"Which means that there's someone else up here, or it could even be the result of a battery powered device," Lyra concluded, her previous dejection gone without a trace. Maybe she wasn't too far off the mark after all!

"Shall we split up?" Lance suggested, checking the time. "It's almost 7:15am. We'd better get moving and cover as much ground as we can. And let's get both of our Pokemon on it as well so we'll find something faster."

"Good idea."

With bright flashes of light, Flygon, Altaria and Lance's faithful Dragonite appeared. After giving his Pokemon a quick verbal command, Flygon and Altaria flew off into the darkness at once, while Dragonite remained by his trainer's side.

"Leave the northern side to me!"

On the other hand Lyra had brought out Togekiss. "Then I'll head down the southern side!"

They separated, dashing into the darkness.

* * *

Lyra studied each door she came across under the light of Togekiss' Flash. Hall O+I's door was marked with the word "COIL", Hall F+Y's door was marked with "PURE" and Hall C+K's door was marked with "SALT". The names of the chambers were already confusing enough as it is - whatever did those strange words mean? The Golden Coliseum truly was built by a madman.

The doors themselves were made of reinforced wood. Thick rusted chains were wrapped securely around the handles and fastened together with a combination lock, preventing entry. If not for the heavy metal shutters that were drawn over the floor-to-ceiling glass windows she wouldn't have had her Pokemon use Flash.

At last, she reached a deadend. Lyra wearily turned around, ready to head back the way she came. She couldn't even hear the noise strange anymore; she should've backtracked before coming this far-

**_BOOM!_**

She wasn't the least prepared for the distant explosion, or the floor abruptly rocking and swaying beneath her feet.

"?!"

Lyra scrambled, trying to grab onto something for balance and ended up grabbing her faithful Togekiss, who was whining and sniffing at the air.

A full-bodied, animalistic roar echoed up and down the hallways, followed by horrifying crunching noises. It appeared to reverberate from all the way on the other side of the floor. Lyra immediately thought of Lance, who'd gone off to explore the chambers in northern area. Did the Dragon Tamer discover where the noise they'd heard earlier was coming from? Or was Lance engaging somebody in a Pokemon battle?

Or maybe he'd come face to face with the secret sender?

Lyra jumped on Togekiss' back. "Fly, Togekiss!" She commanded urgently.

* * *

"Ice Punch!"

"Dodge it and use Confuse Ray!"

The battle was already well underway by the time she made it to the chaotic scene. Lance and Silver were standing at opposite ends of the hallway, handily maneuvering their Pokemon through the darkness with such viciousness and efficiency that even Lyra was surprised. It was no secret that they disliked each other, but this staggering level of rage resonating between them was just crazy! This whole battle was crazy! This was a building for non-Pokemon sports events, what if they ended up destroying everything?!

With a brilliant burst of ice shards, Dragonite smacked Crobat straight into the ceiling with all of its might. Lyra winced at the crater that had formed.

...She had to retract part of that last statement. At least the walls and ceiling seemed to be made of the same self-repairing stuff as the ones at the Pokemon League battle arenas. She didn't know what the mad architect of the Coliseum was thinking when he chose the building material, but she was grateful for not needing to pay for the collateral damages she was about to make.

"Crobat, return! Crush 'im, Feraligatr!"

Silver switched out Crobat with his mascot Feraligatr, eager to draw blood. Feraligatr shared his trainer's sentiments, baring all of its razor sharp teeth at the yellow dragon looming on the other side of the hallway.

"Use ExtremeSpeed!"

"Waterfall!"

"Typhlosion, Fire Blast!"

Both Dragonite and Feraligatr managed to halt their own attacks at the last minute as a great wave of flame swept into the space between them, bursting upon contact with the floor.

Lance was the first one to snap out of it and noticed Lyra's presence. "Lyra!"

"What the hell, dumbass!" Silver fumed, prompting Lance to give him a dirty look. "This is between me and that scumbag!"

"Cut it out!" Lyra fumed. Beside her, Typhlosion pumped up and ready to rumble. "I have less than two minutes to figure out this darned riddle, and for that I need Lance's help! You can go back to beating each other black and blue later!"

"Lyra, I've found the source of the strange noise," Lance quickly interjected. "Unfortunately, _he_ got to it first. I tried to reason with him-"

The redheaded teen rolled his eyes.

"-but he resorted to violence, so I did what I had to do."

Silver reached into his pocket and pulled out... a cute little Pokeball-inspired radio? "There's one little detail you got wrong there, cape-freak. _You_ attacked _me_ first with that girly Altaria of yours, not the other way around. Or are you going senile already?"

"You know what? I really don't care who started it, because you're both behaving like two overgrown children!" Lyra scoffed, recalling Typhlosion into his ball. "More importantly, Silver... where did you find that?"

"In Hall N+P," he offered, much calmer and composed with her than the Dragon Tamer. "There was no way I'd give this up to that jackass, even if he were helping you solve puzzles or whatever. Besides, it belongs to me."

"He _has_ to be lying," Lance stated flatly.

"On what basis, old man?" Silver shot back.

"Silver, can you show me the exact spot where you found it?" Lyra pleaded, not because she absolutely needed him to, but because she did _not_ want another fight to break out between the boys again, and it was the first thing that came to mind. "I would really appreciate it."

He tucked the radio safely back into his pocket, returned Feraligatr to his Pokeball and started walking without sparing her so much as a glance. This silent treatment was as close to a "yes" as she was going to get. Lyra hurried after him, her Togekiss still lighting the way, with Lance not far behind as he recalled Dragonite.

"Hey, Silver? You say that the radio is yours, but what was it doing here?"

"I misplaced it when I was watching a tennis match in Hall N+P the day before yesterday." Silver pushed aside a pile of broken chains, shoving the doors marked "SOIL" open and strolling inside like he owned the place. True to his words there was indeed a clay tennis court. "I've been searching for it since yesterday... some bastard must've found it and played around with it. The batteries are nearly drained."

"What kinds of programs do you usually listen to?" She pressed him with honest curiosity. It was a rare chance for her try relating to the teen, get to know him better, and she wasn't going to let it slip. "Whenever I get the chance, I like tuning in to the _Johto Talk Radio._ My favorite program on that channel is definitely _Horizon Ten-Five_, the DJs are real riots!"

He ignored her innocent inquiries and walked right to the center of the tennis court, rapping his fingers on the net. "Found the radio hanging right here."

"'Hanging'?"

"More like tangled in the net strings, but it doesn't really make a difference now. Was that all you wanted to know?"

Lyra's mood fell. She had been hoping to be magically enlightened about the number riddle she'd been struggling to crack. She had been excited when she heard the strange noise, hoping it would lead her in the right direction. But the source of the noise was just Silver's radio, not in any way related to the secret sender's challenge. And it was nearly 7:15am. Had the trail gone cold? Was this as far as she could go?

"If there's nothing else, I'll be going-"

"Silver, I need your input on something," she blurted out desperately, unintentionally causing the boy to jump in surprise. She snatched a baffled Lance's phone right out of his hand and showed Silver the riddle, practically shoving the screen in his face. "What do you make of this? Specifically, the _'at seven plus fifteen'_ part."

He jerked his head back and squinted, trying to focus his eyes on the words and numbers. Lyra watched him mouth the riddle silently to himself.

_**Find me, Lyra, at 7.15, at 7:15, at 7+15, at 715.**_

"I thought that _'seven plus fifteen'_ was talking about the seventh floor of the Coliseum, and the fifteen being one of the rooms," she hurried to explain. "But-"

"But, nothing. You're standing in the right room already."

"...?"

Silver scratched his head. He looked downright uncomfortable being put on the spot. "...Have you heard of the chemical elements? I mean, like Hydrogen, Helium, Oxygen, Gold, and all that stuff you find on the periodic table. The Golden Coliseum's architect designed the entire seventh floor to represent specific chemical element combinations; the chamber we're standing in is Hall N+P, 'N' being the symbol for Nitrogen and 'P' the symbol for Phosphorus."

"Wait, how did you know what the theme behind the names of the rooms was?"

"The directory posted near the stairs said so."

Lyra blinked. The wall directory, the one with the map? True, there was some stuff written there, but she never really paid attention to it.

"...I don't want to admit it, but he's telling the truth, Lyra," Lance said sheepishly. "I even pointed it out the passage you earlier, remember?"

Yeah... now that she thought about it, he_ did_ in fact mention something along the lines of _'some chemical element theme'_. Lyra blushed. How embarrassing! From now on she'd read every damn thing she came across! "Er.. and what does that have to do with the numbers, Silver?" She managed.

"The riddle may be referring to the atomic numbers of Nitrogen and Phosphorus: Nitrogen being seven, and Phosphorus being fifteen."

Lyra's eyes bugged out. "I get it! So Hall N+P could also be read as Hall 7+15...!" She pulled the phone away from Silver's face and began talking aloud to herself. "The million-dollar question is, what am I supposed to do here?"

She was struck by an idea. Perhaps it was time to use the Black Box?

Lyra fished it out of its container and dramatically held it up, high over her head. Nothing happened.

"...What are you doing?" Silver was understandably confused.

Lyra didn't lower her arm. "I have no idea how I'm supposed to use this thing, so I'm hoping it will do something if I do _this_!"

"..." Lance couldn't really follow what was going on.

Several seconds passed.

"Okay, this isn't working."

Rubbing the surface, blowing on it, throwing it into the air, scratching the sides and pressing on it like a button didn't produce any meaningful results, either. It was time for Plan B.

Under the light of Togekiss' Flash, she looked around the indoor tennis court once again, albeit slower than the first time. The maroon-colored benches for the audience were folded up against the wall, and the digital scoreboard was dark. Was probably hooked up to the main generator, too. There was a janitor's pushcart on the far side of the room, and there was a huge tangle of rope near the middle of the crooked net - probably the spot Silver had freed his radio from.

Silver had claimed to be watching a tennis match in this very room the day before yesterday when he misplaced his radio, but for some reason it didn't sound right. Because, really now,_ Silver_? At a tennis match? A sport that had nothing to do with getting stronger as a Trainer, or Pokemon in general?

Her eyes alighted on the radio in Silver's hand. She still had a hard time believing he owned something so cute.

The radio...

Although Silver owned it and was the one who got to it first, perhaps she was meant to find the radio herself, if the riddle was truly referring to this chamber...

"Silver, does your portable radio still work?"

"Miraculously."

"Then, can I borrow it?"

He looked dubious about her request, but handed over the Pokeball-inspired radio without complaint. Lyra thanked him, and turned attention to it.

It really _was_ cute, something she would've bought for herself or for a younger sibling. There was a dial for adjusting the channel where the the release button was supposed to be, a little indicator that told what channel the radio was tuned into, and an on/off switch right on top of it. The speaker holes covered the bottom white half of the "ball", and there was a hidden dial for adjusting the volume that wrapped itself around the entirety of the radio, in the groove between the red and the white. The adjustable antenna stuck right out from the ball's top.

Lyra grinned. The idea of Silver listening to radio programs - with _this_ particular radio - was unexpected and... adorable.

With a tiny _click_, the radio came to life. Her ears were immediately assaulted by the lyrics to some smarmy pop love song. Her grin gave way to one of utter shock.

He held up his hand before she could open her mouth. "Don't say a word. I don't like pop. I don't listen to it, either."

"What are you planning to do?" Lance asked, watching her curiously from the sidelines.

Lyra didn't answer him. Instead, she turned the center dial, switching from channel to channel. Until she got to a certain point-

* * *

_"...so I turned around and said, 'the truth is, sir, we inflate our prices because a secret organization called the Illuminati takes a cut from every retailer's profits to fund the shadow government that really controls the world'."_

_"Whoa, Joey, and then what happened? The suspense is killing me!"_

_"The customer believed me, and I finally managed to get back to work restocking the toothbrushes! The moral of this story is this: it's easier to just tell the customer what they want to hear!"_

_"Bwahahaha, you're a real genius, Joey! You really are in the top percentage of retail workers!"_

* * *

"What on earth? Is it a talk show dedicated to conspiracy theories or something," Lance muttered in disbelief.

"Of course not, silly!" Lyra laughed, nudging him in the ribs. "That was just a segment from _Horizon Ten-Five_!"

Silver's eyebrow arched. "I hope you know what you're doing."

Her smile turned sheepish. "Nope, I haven't a clue. Just a hunch." A hunch that popped up no more than three seconds ago. A hunch based on what Lance had told her earlier that morning. A hunch based on a crazy possibility she had yet to contemplate properly. But she went with the flow, and did what her instincts told her to do.

Her smile became solemn. She was a Pokemon Trainer, and the Champion - she went with her instincts whenever the available information at hand wasn't enough. That was what she would do now.

Lance checked his phone. "...It's 7:15am."

* * *

_"...and now it's time for our usual Horizon Ten-Five Declarations of Love~! I'm your host, DJ Bulldog! What heart-pumping, guilt-tripping emotions will be broadcasted on this beautiful morning?! I commend all of you for stepping up to the plate and confessing your most heartfelt emotions to the world! You're our heroes! Especially for today, the Day of Hearts~!"_

* * *

Togekiss snorted, annoyed for some reason.

"His nasal voice just grates," Silver growled. "And you claim to like listening to him, Lyra?"

"Shh!" Lyra hissed.

* * *

_"...For our 7:15 Morning Declaration I'll be reading - drumroll, please! - an anonymous letter! Nothing is more mysterious~! Nothing is more alluring~! Oooh, I can't even sit still! I'll read it without further delay~! Hrmmm, now let's see... ah! The sender is anonymous, but it's addressed to a girl named 'Lyra'! Lyra, I don't know if you're listening right now, but if you are, then this Declaration is for you~!"_

* * *

Lance, Lyra and Silver stilled instantly upon the mention of Lyra's name.

* * *

_"Okay, just let me put some dramatic music on... there, perfect~! Now to read! Ahem~! ...'Find me, Lyra, buried deep within the gold. Use the key and set me free.' ...And that was all that was written. Oooh, is this one of those secret codes that lovers' share?! How romantic! An invitation to a secret rendezvous~! And was it just me, or was the line about 'setting me free' **scandalous**?! Kyahahaha!"_

* * *

Lyra wordlessly turned the radio off, abruptly cutting DJ Bulldog's commentary as if sliced by a knife. "I was hoping that my idea wouldn't work, but the mysterious sender just won't give me a break, will he?" Her smile was grim, but her eyes were almost... mirthful. "You were right on the mark, Lance."

Lance's eyes narrowed in confusion. "Right about what?"

"You told me that the sender knows me, and is keeping an eye on me. But you know what? I think it's beyond that, even." She did not elaborate.

"...Incredible." Silver slowly shook his head, laughing darkly under his breath. "I can't believe someone could be so _obssessive_, going so far as to get public radio stations involved. Using my radio as a catalyst for his _stupid_ word games, the damned bastard better be prepared for the consequences of using_ my_ things for his own gain."

"I appreciate you letting me use your radio," Lyra told Silver gratefully, handing his precious radio back to him. "I'll buy you some batteries for it as soon as we get out of the Coliseum."

"Thanks, but I'd like two minutes with this wimp's throat instead."

"What is it with you and necks, anyways?"

"Necks are easy to snap."

Lance placed a hand on Lyra's shoulder. "You're starting to sound like your usual self. Perhaps you've figured out something about the secret sender?" He stared into her eyes, searching for something.

"...I think I have," she admitted. "But before coming to any conclusions, I'm going to go ahead and see what's next in store for me with this new challenge."

While trying to overcome the hurdles of the present, Lyra had been doing some deep thinking. It had been years since she'd last used her brain to this extent, but little by little she felt her old self resurface to the forefront, and with it confidence.

Yes. She was starting to pick up on the common thread that linked these mysterious riddles to each other. She could in fact blow the whole case wide open _right now_ if she wanted to. But Lyra was the kind of person who read mystery stories properly: from start to finish. She would go along with the flow for now, try to solve the little riddles that were thrown at her, until she reached the end. And then solve everything in one fell swoop, leaving no stone unturned.

The Dragon Master tried to prompt her for more information, but then her Pokegear began to ring, preventing further conversation.

"Oh, it's Ethan... hi, Ethan!"

"Lyra, you won't believe what happened! I was listening to the radio just now, and DJ Bulldog read a letter addressed to you for the _7:15 Morning Declaration_!" Ethan shouted excitedly on the other end. "It had the same phrase as those messages you found back here! The message was... let's see... 'Find me, Lyra, buried... in the... in the key... uhh-"

"**_'Find me, Lyra, buried deep within the gold. Use the key and set me free'_**."

"Yeah, that sounds about right! ...Eh?"

"You're a little late to the party, Super Ethan," Lyra giggled. "I've heard the message. Made it just in time, too." Out of the corner of her eye she could barely make out Silver and Lance having some kind of staring contest. Oh well. At least they weren't getting into another Pokemon battle.

"Wait, what do you mean 'just in time'? Ly, what have you been _doing_ since you left my house with Lance?"

"I promise I'll tell you all about it when I get back. You'll be the first."

"I'll be holding you to that promise."

"By the way, guess who's with me?" Lyra said rather loudly, catching both boys' attention. "Silver!"

Silver gave her an acidic look. She countered it with a sweet smile, not missing a beat in her phone conversation with her best friend.

"Whoa, seriously?!" Ethan exclaimed.

"Did you want to talk to him?"

"Might as well, right? But, hey, Lyra... if he's with you, does that mean you ended up asking him for advice?" He asked, his voice suddenly low, as if he were whispering.

"Yup. And he thinks it's-"

"Wait, don't tell the punchline before the joke! Just tell me when you've solved everything, okay?"

"Sure."

He gave a relieved sigh. "Glad to hear it's Silver. I know we can trust him. And I'm not saying that just because he's my buddy! I know it because he looks after you like a big brother. Try to be casual about it if he decides to tag along, okay? As you know, he doesn't like calling attention to himself when it comes to all the warm and fluffy feelings."

Lyra thought back to earlier, to the time when Silver had helped her sneak around Morty to get inside the Coliseum. He'd told her that he was going to battle Morty because he didn't like cowards and weaklings, not necessarily because he wanted to help her. And it seemed that he had a personal vendetta against the Ecruteak Gym Leader, too. But Silver had also indirectly given her his own theory on how the culprit managed to leave the cardboard box inside Ethan's bedroom - with the aid of a Ghost-type Pokemon.

Ah... for some reason, it only occured to her now that Silver himself also had a Ghost-type Pokemon in his team, a Gengar. But if Silver were the perp, it wouldn't make any sense to incriminate himself along with Morty if he were trying to evade suspicion.

Then again, Silver was one of those few who fit the image of the secret sender that was already forming within her mind. And Lyra was a firm believer in the practice of keeping your friends close, and your suspects closer.

And of course, there was another person who also fit her mental image of the culprit-

"Silver, here you go." Lyra held her Pokegear out to the male, who cocked an eyebrow at her hand. "Ethan wants to talk to you."

"...Tch."

Silver swiped the phone from her and moved a short distance away for privacy. "What do_ you_ want?" He sneered into the receiver.

As the teen issued death threats to Ethan over the phone, Lance took this chance to talk. "I must admit that I didn't see that one coming. Who would've thought the secret sender had set up such an elaborate way of delivering the next clue? It's good you managed to figure it out just in time."

"I know I keep saying this but I couldn't have done it without you Lance." Lyra smiled. "Silver also deserves credit for solving the chemical element part of the riddle. You guys are my heroes."

"Forgive my curiosity, but however did you figure out that you needed to tune in to _Horizon Ten Five_ with Silver's radio?"

"How? I suppose it started when Silver ended up telling me what the _'seven plus fifteen'_ in the sequence meant." She looked down, trying to organize her thoughts. "The secret sender wanted me to get to this specific room, Hall N+P, by the time 7:15am rolled around. But why? I thought of Silver's radio, of how it had been left on so we'd find it on purpose. The mysterious sender wanted me to find the radio because he wanted me to use it. And how exactly does one use a portable radio like Silver's? Naturally, by tuning in to a radio station."

Lance easily caught up with the pace of her logic. "Before, we concluded that _'seven point fifteen'_ was in fact a multiplication problem, which equaled to 105. It was a direct reference to the radio program _Horizon Ten-Five_. As for the part we believed to be a ratio, _'seven is to fifteen'_, it was actually another direct reference to the _7:15 Morning Declarations_. Long story short it was as convoluted as hell, but we made it."

He beamed proudly at her, but Lyra couldn't bring herself to respond in kind. "...It was solved purely by luck. It's thanks to a lot of accidents that happened to us that I ever got this far. Not because I was smart enough."

"Accident or not, it doesn't change the fact that you solved it completely in the end. On your own. Only you could have, because I myself don't listen to _Horizon Ten-Five_, and neither does Silver apparently."

Only Lyra could have solved this riddle completely. The secret sender was making it so that it was possible for Lyra to decipher the messages, and no one else. Now that Lance had pointed it out to her, Lyra's achievement almost seemed like one big contrived plot. It was a feeling that ranked even lower than the prospect of solving it by chance, but she knew Lance didn't really mean it that way so she didn't hold it against him.

With this revelation, her mental image of the secret sender became much clearer than before.

"..."

"Hm?" Lance's warm smile became perplexed under Lyra's scrutiny. "What is it, Lyra?"

"...I just realized how hungry I feel right now."

"Well. That certainly came out of nowhere. Have you eaten breakfast yet?" Lyra shook her head, and Lance looked as if he would facepalm if it didn't shatter his dignity (Silver was still in the room). "I'm sorry for not asking you earlier. I had already eaten myself, you see, before going to Battle Tower. All this time I must have assumed-" He stopped himself short before he ended up rambling. "Would you like to get something to eat in the city? It would be my pleasure to treat you. To make up for dragging you halfway across the region on an empty stomach."

Lyra beamed. "Really?! I'd like that!"

"Then, any special requests?"

"Nothing comes to mind. Surprise me, Lance!" Truth: Lyra would've liked to eat out in public with him, but she knew not to expect too much. He was worried about his reputation, so she would let him choose where they ate. Besides, it didn't matter where she ate, as long as she were with him.

"Leave it to me. I'll make sure you enjoy it."

She didn't doubt that. Private or public, Lance was a lover of good food. He had the money, so the quality of his meals were always top-notch and he wouldn't settle for less. That went for the meals he prepared himself as well - Lyra figured that in another life, if he weren't a Dragon Tamer he'd probably succeed as a chef.

A low hum of energy suddenly thrummed in the air, and with a loud _CRACK_ the lights in the hallway turned on, spilling through the open doorway into Hall N+P.

"Oh, the lights!"

"Finally!" Lyra cheered. "And great timing, too! We can get out of here!"

Togekiss mewled in happiness and stopped using Flash. "Thanks for your help, Togekiss," Lyra said, recalling him.

Silver, who had just ended his phone call, tossed the Pokegear back to a flustered Lyra and quickly made to leave the chamber without a word.

"Wait, Silver!" Lyra reached out after his retreating form and touched his shoulder. "Thank you so much for your help. It's thanks to you I was able to figure out the answer to the riddle... oh, yes, and thank you for helping me out that time at the employee parking lot. I really appreciate it."

She kind of wanted to ask him to come along with her on her little adventure, but wasn't sure if it were appropriate or not. He was really more of Ethan's friend, not hers... but the short time she'd spent with him this morning had been fun. It wasn't a bad thing to want to travel around with him a bit, right? It's true she wouldn't be alone with Lance anymore if Silver tagged along, but she felt that it was okay.

Wasn't it?

"...It was no big deal," Silver allowed, not bothering to turn around and face her. He shrugged her hand off his shoulder. "I owed you, anyways."

Lance studied Lyra's conflicted facial expression carefully. After that he noted Silver's slightly hunched back. He then nodded to himself, as if coming to a decision. "Silver, would you like to help Lyra find the anonymous sender of the messages?"

Both teens gawked at the Dragon Tamer as if he'd grown a second head.

Silver was the first to snap out of it. "You're seriously asking me to come with you guys."

"I am."

"And you don't think I'll be getting in the way of your precious _alone time_ with Lyra."

"While I am happy I still get to spend Valentines Day with her and I would leave you behind in a heartbeat, Lyra appreciates your help, and she would be happy if you came along with us," Lance said diplomatically. "I, in turn, find your insight and resourcefulness invaluable."

"Gag." Silver rolled his eyes, before turning to Lyra. "Well? What's it going to be?"

Lyra beamed at him. "I would be so grateful if you did this."

Silver looked off to the side, his hair falling over his face. Was he trying to conceal a blush? "...It sounds like a real pain in the ass, but I don't mind. Besides, I still need to throttle the guy."

Lyra brightened. "Thanks, Silver!"

He hurriedly stumbled away from the pair, still hiding his face. "Y-yeah, whatever. A-anyways, I need to be getting ready to leave. Can you give me thirty minutes?"

Lance stepped forward. "Lyra and I will be having breakfast at the Wayside. You can meet us there when you're ready."

Lyra did a double take at Lance with openmouthed shock. The Wayside was a very popular breakfast diner located downtown, near the bike shop, and frequented by all kinds of people. She had no problem with the location herself; she'd already eaten there once before with Whitney, and besides the occasional sharp-eyed fan there were no problems because both girls blended in quite well. But Lance would be recognized the second he stepped through the door! Was he really okay with bringing her to a place like _that_?

"...Works for me."

Silver made a gesture with his hand - an awkward wave? - and disappeared into the bright hallway.

Lyra couldn't hold herself back any longer. She jumped and threw her arms around the Dragon Master for the second time that day. "Lance! Thank you, thank you, _thank you_!"

"Oof! ...Are you referring to the diner I chose, or the invitation I extended to Silver?" Lance laughed.

"All of it!"

"...I'm happy that you're happy."

She was so excited, she didn't catch the conflict in Lance's tone.

* * *

Just as she predicted, the minute they stepped inside the Wayside it was as if a hundred pairs of eyes had turned to look at them. Talk about awkward.

Lance urged the stiff Lyra into a booth next to the windows, sitting down across the table from her. They had a good view of Main Street, which was decorated with Valentines Day related things such as the usual paper hearts, pink streamers, roses and balloons. A few smaller roads leading to main Street seemed to be cordoned off, as well. Lyra pointed out how the biggest road in Goldenrod looked compared to everywhere else in the city as a means to distract herself from the curious stares of her fellow patrons at the diner.

The Dragon Master on the other hand didn't seem perturbed in the slightest by the attention they were getting. "For Valentines Day today, Goldenrod City will be hosting an event called the Lovapalooza. I believe it's an attempt to take back their world record for Most Number of Simultaneously Kissing Couples, a record that the Unova region's Nimbasa City claimed last year."

Lyra wrinkled her nose. "So... a bunch of couples will be flocking to Goldenrod City from all over Johto just to kiss?"

"For ten seconds," Lance added. "And nobody would care."

"I understand that some couples would just love to show the world their technique, but I think it trivializes the intimacy of the action."

"Is it the fact that it will happen in public?"

"No, more like I certainly wouldn't want to kiss someone just to help achieve a world record." Lyra chuckled sheepishly. "I guess I'm pretty old fashioned, huh? These days, the couples in the country seem more casual about showing their affections. Granted, we're still being called 'the most conservative people in the world' but I suppose things are getting more relaxed than before."

"But if there is one thing that hasn't changed these past few years, it's the people's sense of competition and pride." Lance paused to accept the menus from the waitress who approached their table with a polite smile before continuing, "Both Johtonians and Kantonians can be pretty stubborn, too. Instead of laying back and accepting Nimbasa City as the new record holder they vowed to do their best to turn the tables this year. Things like 'intimacy' are still up for debate, but no one can deny the people's fighting spirit, even if the circumstances are questionable. Also, no one is forcing the couples to take part in the Lovapalooza - it's an event held for lovers who want to band together and contribute to a world record. I can respect that, at least."

Lyra reflected on his argument. "I guess you have a point there. Ha, only _you_ could make the connection between competition and PDA in such a cool sounding way!"

"That's because the spirit of competition is the easiest for me to relate to! Adventure being a close second."

"You and Ethan are similar in that regard."

"Oh? But you also enjoy the rush of competition yourself, right? That's why you're a Pokemon Trainer."

Lyra's smile was nostalgic. "That may be true now, but not before. It was when I became friends with Ethan that I started to appreciate contests of skill. He was the one who instilled that in me."

When the waitress came by once again to take their orders, Lance and Lyra temporarily broke off their conversation to decide on what to eat.

"Lance, didn't you say you already ate breakfast?"

"I have, but there's nothing wrong with ordering something light to go with my coffee."

Lance had went with "a simple salad", which also happened to include corn, tuna and a generous helping of scrambled egg in it, looking very much like what you'd see served at a hotel. Lyra herself had stuck to breakfast basics and ordered herself some pancakes - postcard worthy pancakes that were auburn, pillowy and handily eclipsing the plate it was served in, covered in maple syrup. The Wayside chefs did not want to disappoint a pair of celebrities, as the service was prompt. The waiting staff even managed to restore some sense of normalcy in the diner, convincing most of the other patrons to continue on with their own meals as usual to give the pair some privacy.

And this whole time, Lance was treating her the same way he did when they were alone. This was most definitely the best part of their impromptu breakfast date.

"You and Ethan have been friends for a long time now, right?" Lance asked, picking up where they previously left off.

"Since childhood. Thinking back, I never thought we'd become such good friends. He was such a recluse when he was young, and he never wanted to play with me or the other kids in New Bark Town. And he was hard to talk to. He was either studying, hanging around Professor Elm's lab, or reading books."

"And you?"

"I had more male playmates than female playmates, so I was quite the tomboy. I'd go for tree-climbing over playing with dolls any day. But even then, I never had any real sense of competition until I really got to know Ethan for the first time. Awwmph-" Lyra took a big bite of pancake and reviewed various scenes from her past in her head, trying to choose which ones to reveal. "I was playing tag with my friends just like every other day when I accidentally bumped into Ethan, causing him to drop his book into the river."

"...I hope you don't mean the river that's directly linked to Tohjo Falls. That was a very dangerous thing to do, even if you felt responsible for what had happened. Was he angry?"

"The river was much smaller back then! And boy was he angry, but it was a different kind of anger; it was the quiet kind. I was scared out of my mind, even though I managed to get his book back - I'm a pretty good swimmer - but nearly half of the words in the book were fading, and the spine was getting crooked. Ethan just stood there, staring at the book in my hands. I swore to Ethan that I'd fix it somehow, but he... well, I suppose he was just too angry at me to stick around. But I kept my word and did my best to bring it back to normal. I even asked my mom and the Professor for help. But in the end it was thanks to Ethan's dad I got my hands on some special ink I could use to fix the faded letters. And a dictionary."

Lance sipped his coffee. "So you really did it all by hand? I guess some things just never change - you were preservering, even when you were still a kid."

"Of course I did it by hand, it would be meaningless otherwise! It took me two whole months to do, and I did it in between school, chores and playing with my friends... although I wasn't playing with them as much as before, because I really wanted to make time to fix the book." Lyra bragged. "While fixing the words I inadvertedly ended up reading it from beginning to end. It was a detective novel, and a love story. And I remember thinking, 'this guy is a real romantic'. And when I was finally done working on the book, I had finally begun to understand him."

"And so you bonded with each other, and became good friends while influencing each other for the better," he guessed.

"Yup! Ethan always wanted to compete with the other kids in all kinds of stuff but they were afraid of how aggressive he was, so whenever he was with me we would end up playing games as opponents. From sudoku and word-finding puzzles and detective stuff to the outdoorsy activities like tag and hide-and-seek. My personal favorite pasttime was surprising him with a water balloon to the head!"

Lance laughed. "What a terrible friend you are."

"Hey, I thought you were on my side! Besides, he always got his revenge by sticking my Wii remote into the air vents. To this day I never figured out how he did it!" Lyra pouted.

They chatted with each other even long after their food was done, mostly about her misadventures with Ethan. Lance in turn revealed some bits of his own childhood, some only about himself, others with his grandfather, or with his cousin Claire.

"Sorry, but will you excuse me? I need to wash my hands." The tips of Lyra's fingers had that sticky sensation one would usually get after dealing with maple syrup, and it was distracting her.

"Go right ahead. I'll take care of our bill in the meantime."

She had managed to stay calm and composed as she slid out of the booth and made her way to the ladies' room, even returning some shy smiles flashed to her by the fans who happened to be eating in the diner as well. But once she was safe inside the bathroom Lyra squealed.

This definitely wasn't turning out to be such a bad day after all: She'd gotten the chance to eat at such a trendy place with her Dragon Master!

Even her own reflection in the mirror was telling - her cheeks was flushed with happiness, her eyes were sparkling with excitement, and the silly grin that stretched across her lips just wouldn't go away no matter what she did.

Lyra immediately thought of Whitney. The Gym Leader had made her promise to spill every detail, but that was okay. Because Lyra felt like telling a hundred people how she felt right now!

After washing and drying her hands, Lyra sent her friend a text message.

__Guess who I'm eating breakfast with at the Wayside diner!__

The near-instant reply had two typos, positive proof that Whitney was dying for the whole story but was willing to back off for now.

__Yu go girl! Show him just what kind of womahn you are! Don't forget the gift I gave you ;)__

"Oh, right. Whitney forced something on me while I was at the Inner Elysian..."

Lyra never really tried to find out what it was back at the Golden Coliseum, being too caught up with trying to solve the mysterious sender's riddle and all that. But now she had all the time in the world-

"Oh..."

The envelope Ethan had given her before leaving New Bark with Lance was still unopened. She would need to find some time to read its contents later.

Lyra fished around the pockets of her bag for Whitney's gift. She was having a hard time because she didn't have a clue what it was she received! Would she even recognize it if she saw it?

"WHAT?!"

...Oh yes. She _definitely_ recognized it at first glance. Lyra was absolutely certain she didn't pack this particular_ thing_ into her bag earlier that morning, much less own one of her own.

She stared at the object, speechless and mortified, her face redder than a tomato.

Just what in Arceus' name did Gym Leader Whitney want the girl to do with a pair of handcuffs?!

* * *

**SPINNING - 03**

**END**

* * *

**NEXT:** THE SECRET SENDER'S IDENTITY REVEALED?!

* * *

**Fic Updates:**

ver. 1.0 - Uploaded the first chapter! (2/16/14)  
ver. 2.1 - Fixed spelling and grammar mistakes in the first chapter; uploaded the second chapter! (2/21/14)  
ver. 2.3 - Fixed spelling and grammar mistakes, and extended some scenes in the second chapter! (2/22/14)  
ver. 3.4 - Uploaded the third chapter, fixed typos in the same chapter! (3/1/14)

* * *

**Other:**

The radio program (the one about Joey being a retail worker) is a reference to another upcoming LancexLyra story of mine!


	4. SPINNING - 04

A/N: I do not own Pokemon, nor any of the characters, places, etc. mentioned in this fanfiction. And I don't know how to properly write a girl's feelings.  
(Proper acknowledgements will be made after the ending of the story to prevent spoilers.)

Thanks to **AquilaTempestas, MismatchedSocks, ****lancexlyra4ever** and **pokefan** for reviewing!

EDIT: And **DIAForce**, you can't just leave a ghost review without replying to my PMs! You tease! :P

EDIT2: AAAUGH, an entire scene was missing! This is terrible! What's the use of a "cheat sheet" if it doesn't even have the answers?! There, now it's fixed!

This chapter pretty much spells out everything for you, like a cheat sheet (if you couldn't figure out the identity of the culprit from the first three chapters), which means a _lot_ of clues were jammed together to fit. Luckily it still turned out coherent(?).

Still hope you'll continue to enjoy this (late) Valentines Day fic! This chapter is the longest one yet, and was a real monster to edit.

* * *

**Characters:**

Lyra  
The protagonist. Lyra's quite easygoing, and tends to let people lead her off in different directions or get her to do things for them, but despite this she always manages to come out on top. She has been reminiscing about her past adventures with Lance all throughout the morning. Ever since Lyra was a kid, she would engage in intense yet friendly competition with Ethan, and her sense for logical thinking is slowly and surely returning.

Ethan  
Lyra's best friend of twelve years. His greatest weakness is cleaning his bedroom. Admitted to Lyra that he didn't trust Lance, and encouraged her to ask help from an additional person. Surprisingly an introvert, though much more outgoing and friendly to peers and strangers alike compared to his younger years. He also gets along with Silver amazingly well, perhaps it's because they're both intellectuals? He has known Lyra since they were kids, and her friendship means a lot to him. Other people? Not as much.

Lance  
The object of Lyra's affections, and said affections are mutual. He is a cunning sadist with good publicity, successfully restraining his darker whims through sheer force of will and self-discipline, all to become the worthy clan heir he needs to be. He and Silver aren't so different deep down, in that he is willing to go great lengths to reach his goals which is why he is constantly at odds with the teenage thug. Asked Silver to join their quest for Lyra's sake, but also admitted that he'd rather not have the boy tag along if it were up to him.

Silver  
Lyra's bitter rival turned token cynical friend. Suspects Morty of being the secret sender. Is on surprisingly good terms with Ethan; it's a mystery how they got along so well in the first place! Silver isn't aware of Lance's deceitful side yet; he just thinks of the older man as some stuck-up white knight-wannabe. Surprisingly, he's also well-read: just how many "ordinary" people have the entire periodic table of elements memorized like he has? His brash way of speaking noticeably fades away when he's explaining or rationalizing things.

Whitney  
The bubbly Goldenrod City Gym Leader, and Lyra's friend. Is constantly astounded by both Lyra's and Lance's slightly sociopathic views on love. What was she arguing about with Morty in the employee parking lot so early in the morning? And why did she think giving Lyra a pair of handcuffs was a good idea?!

Morty  
Ecruteak City's Gym Leader. Was last seen getting challenged by Silver to a Pokemon battle. Has yet to actually interact with Lyra directly.

* * *

**SPINNING - 04**

* * *

"With You In Time There's Nothing Else"

* * *

**_Find me._**

That was what the card had said.

No matter how many times Lyra turned the card over and over in her hands there would be nothing else to see. It was just a plain white card with two words hand printed neatly on it in very fancy, loopy cursive lettering.

What did it really mean? Why did the mysterious sender of the card want to be found?

**_Find me, Lyra._**

The note from the white cardboard box she found inside Ethan's room by pure coincedence had a similar sounding message, with the same penmanship. Along with the note was an unidentifiable cube that Silver had suspected to be a Black Box, a mysterious object that is supposed to make _something_ happen, but nobody knows how it works.

Again, the secret sender expressed his wish to be found.

_**Find me, Lyra, at 7.15, at 7:15, at 7+15, at 715.**_

The third message had been flashed on public screens, in full view of everybody and yet still managed to remain a mystery. It was a complicated multi-part puzzle that even the Dragon Master had difficulty decoding. With Silver's unprecedented help, Lyra managed to catch the next cryptic message from the secret sender during a live radio broadcast of all things:

**_Find me, Lyra, buried deep within the gold. Use the key and set me free._**

"...And that's everything that happened so far." Lyra concluded her recap of today's events with a sip of hot chocolate, which Lance had ordered for her when she had gone to the bathroom.

Silver had met up with the pair at the Wayside diner around 7:50am, just a few minutes later than he promised. He'd temporarily broke off to begin with because he 'needed to take care of some things' but Lyra couldn't get it out of him. Oh well, it wasn't as if it were all that important.

He'd sat in the booth next to the girl, ordering a honey-glazed doughnut for himself and munching away on it as she explained the situation to him for the second time. The teen said nothing during her spiel, his face devoid of any emotion - a stark contrast to the mask of irritation he usually wore. It was only when she finished did he choose to speak up, keeping his voice modulated so it didn't disturb the other customers sitting nearby.

"What's this chump going to do next? Fire a cannon ball into Battle Tower?"

"At this stage I would not be surprised if he did. His chosen methods of getting his messages across are becoming increasingly complicated. And loud." Lance was wincing as he said this.

"'Loud'?" Lyra repeated.

Lance leaned forwards. "The first messages were relatively simple cases, even though we have yet to determine how he did it. He left you a card at Ethan's front door after ringing the doorbell, and left you another clue behind a stereo. But his next riddle was made public to all the people who happened to be at the Golden Coliseum today." He paused, folding his hands together and resting them on the table. "The culprit may or may not be the reason behind the power outage as well, to trap us inside... endangering an untold number of innocents in the process. The sender then takes this one step further by having the latest message known not just to you Lyra, but to everyone who was listening to the radio at seven fifteen in the morning. His moves are getting bolder and bolder."

"So he's literally screaming 'find me' at this point." _Like he's desperate to be found_, Lyra added silently.

The questions she'd asked herself back at Ethan's house trickled back into her mind:

Why was she contacted? And why did this person want Lyra to find them?

Were they in trouble?

Or was it some other reason?

Did she want to find them?

That last question was easy enough to answer; she definitely wanted to find this person, that's why she was allowing herself to get lead all around Johto this way, leaving everything up to fate, diving into the unknown... while dragging Lance and now Silver along for the ride. She felt she was on the verge of attaining the last piece of evidence she needed to prove, without a doubt, that "that person" was the culprit. All she needed to do was finish this wild goose chase as soon as she could, and understand the secret sender's motive for contacting her this way-

The latest challenge she'd received was different, however.

**_Find me, Lyra, buried deep within the gold. Use the key and set me free._**

This time her next destination hadn't been revealed upon solving the previous riddle. Not outright. Buried deep within the gold... use the key... did she need to stay in Goldenrod City perhaps? If she remembered correctly, there was a large underground warehouse that ran between the Department store basement and the underground shopping arcade. Several years ago she explored those passageways and battled Team Rocket members to save the Radio Tower director. Maybe she needed to go there again? If one interpreted the "gold" part of the riddle to be the city itself, then it was plausible.

-But if that was the case, then her theory on the identity of the secret sender was wrong, when she was _sure_ she was right.

So where did that leave her?

Lyra raised her cup to her lips, lost in thought. Outside the window, where Main Street was decorated for an event called the Lovapalooza, she could see some uniformed men loading boxes into a white shipment truck. The logo painted on the side proclaimed in bold brown lettering: _'Sometimes, a cigar is just a cigar!'_ She recognized it as the slogan for the cigarmaking factory that infamously avoided a $4 million lawsuit filed by some rich fourteen year old. It was widely believed that Sigmund Freud had said it originally, but there was no evidence for it. _'Sometimes, a cigar is just a cigar!'_ meant that, sometimes there was no deeper meaning to be found, no secret to be decoded, that it was to be taken at face value alone.

...Maybe she should stop looking for hidden meanings. Maybe the next "clue" was, in fact, buried in literal piles of gold...

Her eyes widened. She nearly dropped her cup in excitement.

This was it! This was the lead she needed!

She raised her cup, toasting the shipment truck in gratitude for the inspiration as the uniformed men drove away.

Meanwhile, Lance and Silver were having a discussion on what to do next. "I think the next logical step would be to take a quick detour to the _Johto Talk Radio_ station before attempting to decode the latest message," the Dragon Tamer proposed. "It might take a while because of the holiday, but I don't believe securing a meeting with the director is impossible."

Silver's smirk was unsettling. "It's already been taken care of."

Lance clenched his fists. "...What do you mean?"

"Was that why you didn't meet us right away? You were interrogating the radio station staff?" Lyra asked, surprise and comprehension showing itself on her face. She'd finally caught up with the conversation.

"I caught the DJ himself having a smoke behind the Tower. The wimp broke down faster than I'd ever witnessed before," Silver said smugly.

"...You _scoundrel_."

The glare Lance was giving Silver was frigid, and the shape and force of his words stirred the very air around him, reminding Lyra of a Hyper Beam attack that was in the process of charging itself up. One wrong move and the beam would burst out of control, leaving nothing but carnage in its wake.

Silver flinched slightly - Lance had that effect on even the most hardened types - but he quickly recovered, his facial expression and manner matching the older man's pretty well. "What? I didn't physically hurt the guy, I just scared him a bit." His voice however was as tight as a bowstring; it was a dead giveaway to what_ really_ happened when he met with the unsuspecting DJ.

"I allowed you to accompany Lyra and I; do not get innocent people involved to that extent again in the future. Mark my words, I will personally stop you if you try."

"'Allowed' me? You 'allowed' me to come, huh? Har har har, what an honor. Maybe I should've done the right and proper thing by humbly refusing. But gee, I actually _wanted_ to help you guys catch the sicko that's baiting Pigtails with stupid word games!"

"DJ Bulldog was only doing his job! You helping Lyra find the perp does not excuse the unnecessary cruelty you've inflicted!"

"No wonder you haven't found the guy yet," snarled Silver. "Your stupid beliefs are getting in her way!"

And that, Lyra thought dryly to herself, was the sole reason for their hostility towards each other in a nutshell: Lance never wanted to get the civilians involved in his affairs because of his own strict code, while Silver was not above manipulating and threatening bystanders to improve his own circumstances. It was the classic idealist v.s. pragmatist argument with pragmatist v.s. pragmatist undertones as the two males had very different priorities. And because they both upheld their stances with stubborn conviction, butting heads with each other was inevitable.

"I'm not in anyone's way!" Lance retorted. "From the very beginning, I've been on her side and supporting her through this mess!"

Lyra could practically _feel_ the sincerity behind those forceful words, and she nearly smiled. Lance may had a reputation among the Johto Gym Leaders as a fickle brute, but this brute was capable of being truthful where it really counted. And Lyra was relieved, because that meant the little hypothesis she was forming in her mind had a greater chance of being correct.

But there was no time for that right now. Tensions were running high at their booth. The other diner patrons sitting close by had long since noticed the boys' tiff and were now openly watching. Lyra waved her hands frantically between their faces, trying to pull their attention away from each other before it got out of hand. "Guys, stop!" She pleaded. "This whole argument is purely academic! What's done is done; we can't accuse Silver of harming the DJ because I didn't see it and neither did you, Lance, and he says he got information so it isn't a complete bust. I know it bugs you, Lance - it bugs me, too - but we'll have to figure out what to do with DJ some time later because doing anything at this point might make the situation worse."

Lance opened his mouth to say something but decided against it, and his gaze flicked to the side in defeat. Silver, suddenly weary, relaxed and leaned away from the table, slouching deeper into the leather seat. Crisis successfully averted... for the time being.

_Sorry, Lance._

Lyra sighed and tried to reboot the conversation from before the point it derailed. "Silver, what did you find out from the DJ?"

"...DJ Bulldog was ordered by his superior to read the anonymous message addressed to you, when normally he would randomly choose from a collection of submitted entries. He thinks the _Johto Talk Radio_ director was paid off."

"Paid off, huh?" She absorbed the new info for a minute. "Did he say anything else?"

The redheaded teen's answer was terse. "Nothing worth mentioning." He finished off the remaining bit of his doughnut. "...Whoever it is that's leading you all over Johto has both financial and political backing. Combine that with how shady and crazy organized everything is, I would've suspected Team Rocket, but they've already disbanded years ago."

Lance sighed. "Which just leaves every other wealthy and influential person in the region. Great. That really narrows down our suspects. And we can't forget that it could be the family or friend of this wealthy and influential person that's responsible, either."

"I still think Morty's suspicious. He's pretty influential, isn't he? Being the head of Johto History and Culture Preservation and all that."

"Morty? Suspicious?" Lance echoed Silver's words. "Why him?"

"Oh, right...," Lyra realized. "I never told you, did I? When I met Silver at the parking lot, he was the one who suggested the idea that the secret sender used Ghost-type Pokemon to hide the white cardboard box in Ethan's bedroom. Which reminds me, Silver? Could I borrow Gengar for a while? I want to test out the ghost theory before jumping to Morty-related conclusions."

"Why?"

"I have a pretty good idea who the mysterious sender is."

It wasn't a mere bluff. It was a statement backed by evidence that, admittedly, wasn't very conclusive yet because she still had to work out the kinks (the secret sender's motive, specifically) but otherwise worked out pretty well, if she did say so herself. The winds were blowing in her favor, she couldn't lose this momentum now!

"Who is it?!" Silver demanded, inciting some of the nearby patrons to look in their general direction again. He was skeptical, and with good reason. They had no suspects to speak of besides Morty, and even that particular prospect needed a lot of work. How could she have come up with a theory?

Lance on the other hand was looking rather conflicted at her bold claim. Lyra expected him to be happy for her, and she could plainly see that he_ was_ - but he also had this doubtful look in his eyes and it made her uneasy deep inside.

The Dragon Tamer's demeanor didn't stop her from giving Silver an enigmatic smile, though. "I'll explain when I finish my little experiment. Are you ready to go, guys?"

"Go... where?" Silver asked. "Back up a bit, I think I missed something."

"We need to solve the latest challenge. To do that, we need to head over to the place I believe the riddle is pointing to."

"And that place is?"

"Tohjo Falls."

"Tohjo Falls," Silver repeated, still skeptical. "And this isn't some random suggestion."

"Of course not! It's the place I believe the answer to the riddle can be found!" She declared, finishing her drink at last and firmly placing her cup on the table for emphasis.

Silver willingly slid out of the booth so Lyra could get out as well, but he didn't relent in his questioning. "And the basis for your belief? I don't mind waiting till we get to Tohjo Falls to hear your precious theory, but give me a solid reason why we should just make our merry little way to wherever you _think_ the answer can be found."

The two teens shuffled their way out of the Wayside, eager to continue their debate. Lance silently followed after them.

"I based everything solely on the hunch that he specially tailored every challenge _for me_. That the real significance behind these messages is something _only I_ can understand," Lyra replied once they were outside, aware they were drawing attention yet again, this time from the throngs of people hanging around Main Street but she was too focused on making Silver believe her to care. "All that business with your radio and the chemical elements tipped it off: he doesn't want me to fail. He _wants_ me to succeed and _find him_, just like the letters all say. There would be no point otherwise... huh?"

Lyra paused. There would be no point otherwise. Why did she say that so confidently?

Because...

Because this was the correct line of thinking.

The _motive_.

Lyra felt herself get even more fired up than before.

The culprit's reason for sending her on a crazy chase all over Johto... she'd just taken the first step to understanding it, understanding him.

"A... _hunch_. Seriously? You've got me, cape-freak and your own goddamn brain to use and you bet everything on a _hunch_."

"I'm a Trainer, not a detective," Lyra shot back. "Logic and all that detective stuff is more up Lance's and Ethan's alley. I go with what my guts tell me, and so far I haven't regretted it!"

Silver stared Lyra down, his keen eyes searching for any hint of lies or doubt on her face. When he found none, he scratched his head. "Okay, fine. Suppose this hunch of yours is right. That doesn't sound like a fair deal," he said at last. "If he wants you to find him, then why bother with riddles and time limits? Why bother dragging out the entire affair when he could've just told you where he was so you could meet up with him? For a guy who wants to be found, he isn't making it any easier for you."

"..."

"You know what I think?" He continued. "I think he's being a complete arse taunting you and lording his intelligence over you like this! He doesn't want you to find him, it's the opposite! The wimp wants to rub in your face how much you suck at solving things, saying stuff like _'Find me'_, thinking that you can't! Leaving behind a paper trail of riddles that 'only you can solve'? Ha! Yeah, right! More like leaving a bunch of pointless hurdles to prove how dense you are! He's probably watching you from some hidden location, laughing at you. I wouldn't put it past him."

Lyra wrinkled her nose in disgust. "You're making him sound like some heartless monster."

"I'll stop if you show me proof that he isn't."

Proof that he wasn't cold-blooded? Did anything like that even exist? All Lyra had received from the anonymous message sender were the riddles themselves. But she didn't want to give in; giving in meant allowing her theory to fall apart. Grasping for her mental straws, she quickly said, "He sent me the messages _today_ - on Valentines Day, of all days. Not to mention he constantly alludes to the band _Boyce Avenue_ and their song _'Find Me'_, which is a love song! If that doesn't prove his intentions then nothing will!"

"Let me get this straight - you're claiming that this whole _'Find me'_ business is just one unnecessarily complicated love letter?" He gagged. "Is this supposed to be considered _romantic_ for girls? Ugh, I swear I'll never understand the female mind! What's next, Stockholm Syndrome?"

"Not all girls are into that sort of thing! Women's brains aren't a single collective hivemind you can pick apart and understand on the fly, you jerk! And... and... it doesn't necessarily mean romantic love either, so _there_!"

"You're just contradicting yourself now! Everybody and their mother knows that Valentines Day is best known as a day for romantic love, you dolt!"

"Then maybe he meant to trick me into thinking it was about romantic love!"

"There you go, contradicting yourself again! Unless you mean to tell me that the man has split personality disorder?!"

"-Wait Silver, you're going off a tangent. Your asking for proof 'that he may or may not be heartless' is invalid." Lance, who'd been quiet this whole time suddenly spoke up, startling both teens out of their escalating dispute. "Lyra's answer was pretty good, but in no way does it disprove that the perp is insensitive; rather, it's the entire set up that implies the culprit's motives. Never ignore the heart, Silver. It's what motivates us to do things. The culprit's reasons for contacting Lyra with riddles may not make sense at first, but it will in time."

"I couldn't have said it better!" Lyra agreed empathetically.

"And the culprit's arrangement isn't as unfair as it seems. After all, you and I are helping her meet the challenges, aren't we? Nowhere was it indicated that she needed to decode the messages on her own. If we weren't allowed to help her out, and - assuming that he was 'watching us from some hidden location' like you've previously asserted - wouldn't he have done something about it? Warned us not to get involved, or even go to great lengths to separate Lyra from us? Either he'd forgotten this detail when he planned this out, which I highly doubt, or he really does want Lyra to find him, just as she said."

Silver shook his head. "...Fine, whatever. I give up. Let's just go to Tohjo Falls already. The faster we find this guy, the sooner I get to pound him in for the answers." He marched off without another word across the street, preparing to Fly on his Crobat.

Now that her verbal spar with Silver had finished, Lyra suddenly felt weary. She yawned and stretched, trying to clear her head. Beside her, Lance was also getting ready to climb onto Dragonite.

Lyra had gone to bed pretty late last night trying to coordinate the information in her Pokedex with Ethan's. That, and she woke up early today too, because her original plan had been to participate in Pokemon battles at Battle Tower, and after those plans changed she hadn't stopped moving around since. On top of that, she was still feeling pleasantly full from breakfast...

The yellow dragon Pokemon patiently stood on the sidewalk for his Trainer to get on his back. Lance paused, examined Lyra's bleary eyes and asked her kindly, "Would you like to ride on Dragonite with me again? That way, you could take a quick nap on our way to Tohjo Falls."

Lyra readily accepted his offer, and clambered onto Dragonite's back along with the Dragon Tamer so they were in the exact same position as the first time they rode together. Silver's Crobat was already soaring away into the distance; with a snort, Dragonite beat its powerful wings and rose majestically from the pavement, high above the rooftops and the curious onlookers, and zoomed after the purple bat.

"Lance..."

"Nn?"

"Sorry for burdening you with my problems and pulling you away from Battle Tower's grand reopening, and the tournament... it must've been really hard to find a last minute replacement."

Lance's voice seemed to catch on something. "I told you earlier, didn't I? You are never a burden to me. Besides, what's the point of participating if you aren't there?"

This was a lie, Lyra knew. There was nothing more important in the world to Lance than fulfilling his ambitions. Between Lyra and his grand schemes of bringing the Blackthorn dragon clan back to its former glory... Lyra would always come second. The tournament at Battle Tower's grand reopening was his big chance to connect and battle with the Dragon Tamers from other regions and establish himself as the Blackthorn heir and the strongest, and he_ missed_ this chance. Lance must be feeling _some_ regret deep inside at this point, right? He was also one of the two Indigo League regional tournament representatives, the other one being herself-

"That's right, I forgot to ask - who ended up replacing us in the tournament?" She mumbled, her eyes already drooping from fatigue.

"Who else could take our places but ex-Champion Red and Viridian City Gym Leader Blue?"

* * *

_Lyra felt that she was dreaming, but it didn't stop her from reliving this scene from her past to the fullest._

_In it, she was a little girl again._

_The river roared ferociously in her ears, doing its best to sweep her away and pull her under. But Lyra was a strong and skilled swimmer for a seven year old girl, and she wasn't afraid for her life. She was worried that she wouldn't reach Ethan's hardcover book in time._

_...It was her fault. She wasn't watching where she was going and ended up tripping over a tree root, slamming into the boy who'd suddenly stepped right onto her path. He was surprised, but he'd still tried to catch her to keep her from falling into the river, dropping his book in the process. She was saved, but his book bounced into the angry currents instead._

_Ethan's book..._

_Each time she'd happened to see him, the book was in his hands. He was always relaxing in the grassy hills, reading quietly to himself. He would stare sullenly at her and the other kids, solemnly at his mother whenever she spoke to him, or with respect whenever Professor Elm gave him an errand. But when he was reading, Lyra could swear that his eyes sparkled. Whatever it was he was reading, it must've been good._

_She kind of wanted to talk to him because of that. It intrigued her. He intrigued her. The thoughts and feelings of the quiet boy who moved to New Bark Town from the big city intrigued her. But he never showed any interest in what she had to say... he didn't seem interested in swimming or climbing trees or any of the stuff the other boys in town liked to do. On the days he left his house to spend time outside, it would be to read and nothing else._

_That hardcover book he dropped into the river was the book he'd been reading this whole time!_

_Lyra didn't hesitate. She jumped in after it..._

_"Lyra! Lyra!"_

_Her playmates were screaming her name over and over in terror, running along the riverbank after her but she didn't look up. Lyra's seven year old mind was focused on one thing only - she needed to get that book back for Ethan, no matter what!_

_How long had she been racing after the hardcover through the icy currents? One minute? Two minutes? She pushed her body as hard as she could, letting the river take her even further, closer, her fingers already reaching towards her prize-_

_"Bwaaa?!"_

_She'd accidentally taken a mouthful of cold water in the process, but she'd managed to grab the book at last!_

_With her remaining strength, she forced her body to tumble onto the rocky riverbank at the next curve, the book clutched tightly to her chest as she struggled to catch her breath. Her heart was thumping wildly from the rush and from the amount of effort she'd exerted; her ears and eyes stung from the water; her arms, legs and whole body were heavy and sore; a searing pain throbbed in her entire right side from the sharp stones she were currently laying on top of; to top it off she was cold and shivering and wet._

_The other kids soon caught up with her, forming a tight circle around her prone form._

_"Wh-what should we do?!"_

_"Joey went to get an adult from town with his sister!"_

_"Should we try to carry her back...?"_

_"L-look! Look! She's getting up!"_

_It took even more effort on her part, but Lyra had managed to bring herself to a sitting position. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to fight the dull ache of her head. Had she... accidentally hit her head against a rock during her frenzied rescue mission?_

_She never noticed how quiet and still the other kids became, never noticed how they parted like the Red Sea as Ethan slowly made his way over to the girl. But a couple of fallen leaves crunched beneath his shoe, prompting Lyra to look up._

_Their gazes met._

_"..."_

_"..."_

_The other kids fled the scene._

_Lyra couldn't blame them. Ethan wasn't like the other kids, not because he didn't play with them or because he was from the city. He was different for a deeper reason, something that they felt on a more primal level, and beyond anything that a child's mind could truly comprehend. That was why no one dared to bully him - he wasn't ever outright mean to the other kids but his would-be torturers had also felt he was in a class of his own. And right now, Lyra was shaking for a whole new reason. It wasn't just the cold anymore._

_She could feel the boy's dark brown eyes watching her, judging her..._

_"Y-your book...! I'm really sorry about what happened to your book!" Lyra blurted out. She moved to hold the book out for him to take but stopped, mortified at how the book was faring._

_It was completely soaked, the pages most likely stuck together and the text faded away from the water, rendering Ethan's hardcover unreadable..._

_Unreadable! Oh, no!_

_Not only would she lose any chances she had to become his friend, he also wouldn't be able to read his beloved book anymore!_

_Lyra, still a little girl, had a rather simple mind. She liked it when she saw other people happy. She liked it when Ethan seemed happy, even if it weren't from playing with the other kids in town but from the book he read so often. And Ethan without his precious hardcover was just too sad a reality to accept. Lyra felt tears forming in her eyes and bravely pushed on._

_"Please, l-l-let me borrow it for a while! I promise I'll fix it somehow!"_

_"..."_

_"When I think of how you must feel right now...! Please give me a chance!"_

_She bowed her head low, her forehead nearly touching the ground and continued to plead with the boy standing in front of her._

_The sound of river's wild rushing water seemed subdued, just like everything else around them. Was it because they were so close to Tohjo Falls, or was it because wild Pokemon and nature itself alike had left the two children alone on purpose? It really did feel as if she were utterly isolated, with no one else besides Ethan in the whole world. It was a lonely feeling, and Lyra didn't like it at all._

_"You don't understand how I feel."_

_His voice was just... empty. Completely devoid of the burning rage she was expecting._

___"...?!"_

_Lyra jerked her head up, her gaze meeting his once again. He hadn't moved an inch this whole time._

_"What... what did you say?" She croaked._

_There was a moment of silence, and then the boy repeated his words._

_"You don't understand how I feel."_

_In a cold, robotic voice he'd passed his judgment upon her. It held no real malice; it was as if he were merely making an observation about the weather or something trivial. Her inability to understand his feelings was - to him - a trivial matter. He'd expected it from the start, and was in no way surprised or disappointed._

_And somehow... somehow, this was way worse than the anger she'd braced herself for._

_Ethan turned around and walked away from her._

_He walked away from her..._

* * *

A gentle shaking sensation on her shoulder roused her from the depths of her dreams.

"...ra. Lyra. We're almost there, wake up."

Her eyes snapped open with a start, the light momentarily blinding her. "Bwa..?" Disoriented and half-asleep, she wondered why the first things she saw was the sky, the clouds and the back of Dragonite's head and started to panic because she couldn't recall what she'd been doing in the first place.

"Calm down, it'll be okay. We decided to follow your suggestion and head to Tohjo Falls, remember? Silver just made a landing, and we'll be doing the same shortly," Lance explained gently. He had his arm around her waist to prevent her from accidentally flailing herself off Dragonite while she dozed off. "Did you sleep well?"

Right... the girl was feeling pretty tired from all the traveling she did that morning, so Lance had offered to be her pillow while they flew to Tohjo Falls. She remembered now. The yellow dragon began its slow descent to earth, where Silver was already waiting far below, standing in the shade of a tree. Was someone standing next to him...? Lyra's eyes were too bleary to see. "I slept okay," Lyra said at last, yawning. "I was dreaming..." She could barely remember the details, but she was sure it had been a dream about the past.

Did coming to Tohjo Falls trigger the dream? Or was it because she'd told Lance part of the story herself at the Wayside diner? It was, after all, a very significant place to her: the place Ethan had spoken to her for the very first time, and the place they'd eventually became friends. Sort of. This was also the place they ended up in for the briefest moments during that Celebi time-travel situation... the place she'd fought Giovanni.

"A dream about what?"

"Some stuff from my childhood. Mostly about how much Ethan freaked me out back then."

The best friend of today was a far cry from the recluse city boy she'd known years ago... and she was happy about that. He really had come so far.

Lance peered at the ground below and quirked an eyebrow. "Funny, isn't that Ethan over there, with Silver?"

"Wait, what? _What?!_" Lyra did a double take. Far below where the couple flew Ethan's trademark hat could be clearly seen. He was really here! He was even standing next to Silver and chatting with him! In addition to his usual clothing, he was sporting basic survival gear and a wicker basket in place of his backpack. Ethan was most likely running some errand for the good professor back in New Bark. "Ethan!" Lyra hollered cheerfully at the top of her lungs. She was always happy to see him.

Both boys glanced up, and Ethan waved at her excitedly. "Heeey, Lyra!" He shouted back.

Not waiting for Dragonite to make a proper landing, she wiggled out of Lance's slackened grip and leapt to the ground-

"_Lyra!_" Two horrified male voice gasped at the exact same time.

-Relaxing her muscles, Lyra allowed her body to hurtle towards the earth, landing on the soft grass about two feet away from the river in a well-executed crouch.

"Ethan, what are you doing here? I thought you were going to stick around the house and keep an eye out for anything suspicious!" She demanded, standing up and dusting herself off.

The younger male sprinted towards her with all his might, blatantly ignoring her question. "Lyra, you stupid tomboy, that was too dangerous!" Ethan panted heavily when he finally reached her. "You were over fifteen feet above the ground! You could've seriously hurt yourself, you_ dummy_! One wrong move and you could've fallen into the river!"

She frowned. "What are you freaking out like that for all of a sudden? I'm perfectly fine. It's not as if I haven't done this before."

"I'm freaking out because I just witnessed my best friend make a crazy suicidal jump from a Flying Pokemon! And whether you've done dangerous things before or not isn't the issue here! Well actually, it kind of is, especially that time with Archer but-" Ethan was about to say more, but his gaze caught something behind Lyra and he changed his mind. "-He can say it better than I can," he said instead.

She turned around. The Dragon Tamer had apparently rushed Dragonite's landing, as the yellow dragon's feet had just touched the ground. Lance hopped off his back and strode hastily over to Lyra's side.

"Lyra."

The Dragon Tamer was breathing hard, and there was an almost manic light in his eyes. Lyra was taken aback. Was he going to yell at her?

"Are you alright?"

"Oh, um, yes."

He closed his eyes and shoved his fingers through his hair in an attempt to rein in whatever emotional outburst he had so close to unleashing. This was the most uncontrolled and panicked he'd ever allowed himself to show in public, Lyra knew. And it confused her. She was used to making those kinds of jumps from Togekiss' back, there was no cause for alarm!

"Please, don't ever do that again."

"O-okay."

"Promise me."

"I... I promise."

"...Thank you."

She couldn't find it in herself to question Lance though. His facial expression and demeanor was that of someone who had come too close to losing their everything, and it... it hurt her to see him in such a state. Still, she couldn't understand why he and Ethan were freaking out over her from one little jump-

"Let's get this damn experiment of yours going already!" Silver shouted impatiently from where he'd been standing and waiting around this whole time. He was obviously the only one not too bothered by her aerial stunt. Finally, someone who still made sense to the girl! It really helped Lyra breathe a little easier. He shoved past Ethan, grabbed one of Lyra's hands and pressed a Pokeball in it. "Here's Gengar like you asked. Now get on with it!"

"Right, I will. But before I get to that-"

Silver groaned. Lyra ignored him.

"-Ethan, I repeat, what are you doing here?"

The younger male scratched his head sheepishly. "Professor Elm asked me a favor... and Dad came home."

"Ouch."

"Aaaaand nothing was stolen after all, so I got away with it! But listen Lyra, remember the Glacier Lilies we found growing in_ that_ cavern? Remember how I thought it was strange for wildflowers to grow so well in the dark like that?"

_That_ cavern being the little chamber they'd crossed paths with Giovanni in. Lyra nodded her head, urging him to continue.

"Until today, they were just run-of-the-mill wildflowers. We always saw a bunch of them growing in the bushes around the area, so we never paid any attention to them, right? But after we got back from the pa... err... the cavern, I took a sample to the Professor, who was interested enough to run a few simple tests on it. Now there's some evidence that they contain a certain component also found in Pokemon evolution items!"

"That's... I don't know... both amazing and scary, in a way," Lyra said. "It isn't as if bringing my Pokemon over there will make them evolve, will it?"

"That's why I'm here to get some more samples." He jabbed his thumb over his shoulder at the basket hanging off his back. "There is a slim but promising possibility that a new clue regarding the origins of Pokemon evolution items could be gleaned from the flowers!"

Lyra was about to tease Ethan's nerdy excitement but she noticed Silver glowering out of the corner of her eye. "Well, I don't want to keep you from your work any longer. Good luck with it!"

"Thanks! You're still looking for the loon who left you those weird messages, right? Good luck to the both of us!"

Ethan grinned at Lyra and gave her a thumbs-up. He then turned around and offered Silver a grin and a thumbs-up, too.

Silver just glared even harder at the carefree teen. "I'm still angry at you for losing my radio," he snarled.

"Aw, c'mon! You found it again, didn't you?"

"No thanks to _you_! I'm never accepting any of your invitations ever again, you got that?!"

"Yikes..." Ethan chuckled, clearly not apologetic in the slightest. Because all's well that ends well!

And then he turned to Lance.

"..."

"..."

There was the slightest of pauses that you would've missed if you weren't paying attention, in which Ethan's super bright smile subtly changed. Lyra was paying attention, and she knew that look. She'd affectionately dubbed it the Ethan Pokerface TM when they were still in grade school.

"Look out for her."

Lance tried, but Lyra also knew the man enough to know when he had been ruffled...

He offered her best friend a small nod. "I will," he replied crisply.

"Good!"

With that, Ethan finally walked away from the 3-man group and disappeared into the entrance leading to the network of caves under Tohjo Falls, whistling a familiar cheery love song.

Silver gave Lyra a pointed look.

She put her hands up. "Okay, okay."

The release button was pressed and Gengar materialized above their heads with a little front flip.

"Gengar, are you up for a little experiment?"

Gengar grunted his approval at her.

"Great! What I'd like for you to do is to hold on to this real well..." Lyra held out the white cardboard box containing the Black Box and the '_Find me, Lyra'_ note inside. She glanced around, spotted a tree with a trunk that was wider than most and gestured towards it. "...and try to phase through the tree over there. Can you do that?"

He made a sound that sounded almost like a scoff and zoomed towards the tree, eager to please. Without slowing his pace, he slipped right through the surface like it didn't exist-

_Smack!_

-at the last possible split second the white cardboard box collided soundly against the hard trunk, slipped out of Gengar's slackened fingers and clattered to the ground.

"?!"

Three baffled humans and a Pokemon surrounded the box in an instant.

Gengar howled in dismay and clutched at Lyra's sleeve, asking forgiveness for dropping the item she'd entrusted to him. But Lyra merely smiled at him. "It's okay, Gengar. Would you like to try that again?"

Before she could finish that sentence Gengar had already scooped the cardboard box up, gripping more tightly than before. He floated to a spot he deemed worthy, about eight feet away, turned around and focused his slanted red eyes on the offending tree trunk. He charged! Three seconds later Lyra held her breath as his body easily slipped through the surface like a sword stabbing the surface of a deep lake-

_SMACK!_

-was it her imagination, or did the box hit the wood even harder and louder than before?

"Gaah, did the Black Box inside break?!" Lyra gasped, snatching up the abused box and checking inside. The little opaque cube seemed fine to her. There wasn't a single dent or scratch or crack. Unfortunately the same could not be said about the cardboard box itself, which was starting to look worse for the wear.

"The culprit _couldn't_ have used a Ghost Pokemon to sneak the box inside Ethan's room," Lance stated grimly. "A Ghost-type can phase through a wall like a... well, like a ghost. But that doesn't apply to the items it's carrying."

Gengar cowered behind Silver's knees, nearly causing the redhead to trip. "No way!" He shouted defiantly. "Gengar, stop hiding and try that one more time!"

"We've already seen enough."

"Oh really?!" Silver ushered Gengar back out into the open. Lyra took this moment to smile at how far the male had come - in the past he would've abused Gengar for failing his task and acting like a chicken, but today he was gruffly but gently coaxing his Pokemon with words.

"Gengar, try phasing through the tree trunk one more time, but this time carry the box inside your mouth!" He snapped.

"What?!"

The Pokemon obeyed, his unusually long pink tongue snapping out and wrapped itself around the white box Lyra's hands, lifting it into his mouth. He moved back a good distance just like before and charged towards the tree trunk for the third time.

_SMACK!_

Lyra was half-expecting it on some level but she still ended up wincing from the impact. "...Lance is right, Silver. Ghosts may be able to move through solid objects but they can't alter the properties of actual solid objects. Their powers are more illusion and sensory based." She recalled Gengar into his Pokeball and returned him to his rightful Trainer.

"So how did the bastard get inside the house without disturbing anything?! Don't tell me _he's_ the ghost!"

"Maybe came from underground, or rapelled from the roof?" Lyra suggested. When she picked up the box, she was pleasantly surprised to discover it was not covered in saliva or something equally as disgusting. It made her feel a whole lot better about putting the box back into her bag.

"Ohhh, so he's a _ninja_ now?!"

"Err... I was kidding."

Silver smacked his forehead. "Right, I forgot. You already have an idea who it is."

"I won't keep you in the dark any longer, I promise. Follow me guys!"

* * *

Twenty yards further down the river and well past the Johto/Kanto borderline, Lyra gave a clear shout and pointed up the hill. Halfway up the slope was a one-story building sheltered by an overgrowth of plants and trees. The building was an easy to miss box, its peeling green paint designed to help blend in with the rest of the forest. Lyra had Togekiss Cut away some vines, revealing a well-hidden footpath leading right to the front door. Aside from the occasional mosquito, the entire area was the very image of mystery and natural beauty.

What was this place? Both boys could only wonder to themselves as Lyra led them up the path to the building. For a few seconds she fiddled with the combination lock that held the front door securely closed, and with a teeny satisfying _click_ the mechanism gave and then she was beckoning them to step inside...

"AHEM! Welcome to the New Bark Town Pokemon Research facility! This laboratory is Professor Elm's brainchild, and where most of the adult townsfolk work as Professor Elm's assistants!" Lyra proclaimed proudly. "...But, that was a long time ago. So long ago, I wasn't even born yet! When the good Professor decided to pursue a different field of Pokemon research, the entire operation moved to a brand new building near the town entrance."

It didn't look like a laboratory befitting the great Professor Elm; the sunlight streaming in through the bare front windows highlighted every dustball, dirtclod and cobweb but not much else. The only notable things in the room were the long wooden table in the center of the floor, the bright yellow folder on the table's surface, and the slim bookshelf standing against the eastern wall. The smell of mold and mildew and soggy wood assaulted their nostrils.

The back of the lab was where Lyra was leading the boys now. It was actually the very first thing you would notice upon entering - specifically, the heavy steel bars that extended wall to wall, separating the front and the back of the lab.

"...I don't get it. Did Elm lock up Pokemon back here to study? He never struck me as that kind of guy." Silver quipped, trying to get a peek through the bars. The only thing he could see was a small, obvious, wooden trapdoor. "And how the hell did you find this place?"

"I didn't listen to my mom's warnings about going out too far when I was little. Ethan and I liked playing hide and seek around here; naturally, it didn't take long for us to find this place. Regarding the 'cage' door, it's the other way around: this area was designed to keep the wild Pokemon _out_. As you know, the lab is situated right in the middle of wild Pokemon habitats, and Professor Elm said they liked barging in uninvited. To protect themselves from the especially dangerous ones, The Professor and his assistants would run and lock the door from within the room..."

Lyra was pressing buttons on an electronic keypad located on the wall, right next to the iron bars.

"How does that still work, and how do you know so much about this place?" Lance asked.

"I came back a couple of years ago and fixed it, with Ethan's help! And Ethan's one of the lab assistants, so he knows all kinds of stuff!"

"But what do you need electricity _for_?"

"You'll see!"

Just on the edge of her peripheral vision she noticed that Silver was about to reach for the bars. She called out to him, effectively stopping him. "I wouldn't touch that if I were you. Unless you want a taste of the force field's pure energy."

"What?!" He spluttered.

"You didn't _really_ think a bunch of garden-variety steel bars could keep the lab researchers safe from wild Pokemon, did you?"

"From Elm I was expecting some kind of trick, not indiscriminate electrocution."

"Not electrocution, per se, it's more like getting smacked in the face by a Hitmonchan's fist. No preliminary tingle in you elbow or anything like that. Just a world of instant pain and dizziness." There was an electronic bleep from the keypad, and something in above their heads rumbled lowly in response. Then there was the heavy, rusty scrape of steel as the cage door rose, allowing safe passage inside. Lyra grinned triumphantly. "There! I've disarmed the force field and opened the door!"

"I don't like this," Silver muttered, keeping his distance. Just in case.

"It's fine, I can go inside myself. It'll only take a second!" She assured him, stepping into the caged area. She stooped down next to the trapdoor, grasped the long brass handle and tugged. It didn't budge. "...Eh? Let me try that again." Lyra pulled as hard as she could - it didn't work. She grabbed the handle with her other hand as well and leaned back, using her natural weight to pry the door open - still, nothing.

"How is it?" Silver asked, peering at Lyra through the bars. The force field was off, but he didn't want to take any chances so he positioned himself two feet away from the cage.

"Ngh, it's harder to open than I remember!"

Lance strode in through the cage door, his cape flapping behind him and stirring up some dust. "Let me help."

Lyra scooched over so he could squat on the floor next to her, and Lance grabbed the top half of the handle while Lyra latched onto the bottom half.

"On three, we pull the door open together alright? One... two...!"

_Three!_

The trapdoor uttered a low, guttural groan. With Lance's and Lyra's combined strength, the trapdoor finally gave, and the couple threw it open with a _BANG_, stirring up even more dust in the process. Lance turned away and coughed to clear his throat before casting his attention downwards - and his mouth dropped open instantly. "Good God..." he murmured under his breath, dumbfounded at the sight: this floor compartment was a literal treasure trove of gold nuggets, both large and small. Curiously, they seemed to shine pretty well even in the dim light; if a person weren't careful, he'd become enchanted by the gold's perfect radiance...

"Hey, what's going on in there?"

Lyra smiled apologetically over her shoulder at Silver. "It's not really that important, don't worry! Need-to-know basis and all that! What really matters is that I believe I've found the next clue!"

Silver shrugged and wandered away from the cage to take a look around the dreary lab - and to investigate the folder on the table.

Lance still hadn't moved. He was pale faced, gawking at the gold like it were cursed, like it was about to rise up and devour him whole or worse. Lyra nudged him gently with her elbow and he snapped out of it, turning to face her. "...Tell me. Why is there something like _this _in an abandoned laboratory of all places? This... was this stolen, or perhaps a bribe?" He questioned her with a low voice. "Seeing this much gold in one place is making me anxious."

"Geez, Lance, is it that hard to imagine me saving all of this?" Lyra whispered back with mock hurt. "And besides, I didn't do it alone - this belongs to Ethan, too. Him being the first one to get to the lab and everything."

"For how long have you two been saving?"

"In my case, it was ever since I first started out on my Pokemon journey four years ago! When I found my first nugget, I thought, 'how pretty!' and I just decided to save a whole bunch of them so I could have a really shiny collection to look at and show off. I didn't find out how much they were worth at the Mart until an entire year later, eheh... that's when Ethan and I decided to combine our collections together."

Lance exhaled, shook his head in amusement and went back to staring at the contents of the trapdoor. "You really are something else, Lyra. But why didn't you sell them after finding out what they were? Having the extra funds could've really helped you out during your journey. I remember when I started out on my own journey, I had to cut back to eating once a day just so I could have enough to buy Antidotes..." He began pushing his hands through the gold nuggets, searching for anything that could've served as the next clue they needed to find. "Hmpf, these are heavier than they look."

"I have such a hard time imagining you to be poor, Lance. Especially when I look at the boots you're wearing right now." Lyra was aware that Lance's favorite footwear would cost her a whole week's worth of Pokemon battle winnings. There was also Lance's sports car, his private residence in Celadon City, and not to mention how he'd bought out the abandoned Team Rocket hideout in Mahogany Town with his own money to save the townsfolk from bankruptcy. "Isn't the Blackthorn clan rich, though? You could've gotten their support when you were starting out."

"Heh, I could have. But my family situation back then was pretty complicated. Suppose you were in my shoes, fighting against the wishes of your own parents while trying to balance training, battling, schooling and clan politicking. Said parents were doing everything they could to take you away from the clan, never expecting you to succeed, and your own grandfather giving up on the clan himself... would you have accepted handouts from them?"

"If you put it that way, I suppose I'd have been too proud to accept even a measly sandwich." Lyra laughed to soften the statement and placed a hand atop his, stopping him from digging through the piles of gold. She wasn't looking at him, but she felt he was looking at her now. Lyra kept her eyes trained on their hands. "You are the only Trainer I know who went on the League challenge while still doing schoolwork. There was nobody to take care of you when you struggled against the clan elders. You're callous and distrustful, but you disciplined yourself so you could become the heroic and selfless Dragon Master that the public adore. And you've worked your butt off to become a household name in not one, but two regions. You persevered, Lance." _And I really, really admire you for that_, Lyra didn't say.

"Thank you for saying that. It won't stop there, though. Once I've officially handed the title of Indigo League Champion over to you, I will take the whole Blackthorn dragon clan into my hands... and when that happens, there will be changes. It won't be long now. The Blackthorn dragon clan will become the most powerful and influential clan in the world."

Closer.

Lance was speaking to her freely about his goals, putting a part of the puzzle that was his heart together for her.

Lyra felt closer to Lance than ever before. Not just physically, but emotionally.

They've been taking a lot of steps forward together today - openly accepting and enjoying their mutual attraction, flirting, and working together as a team. She couldn't help but feel that maybe, Lance had the same intentions for their current relationship as her. If he was okay with confiding that much in her, then she could return the favor.

Lyra removed her hand from his and got down to digging through the gold herself. Lance did the same.

"I wanted to build a house around here when I was younger." She felt his eyes on her once again. "I wanted it to be a really secret, totally cool place where no one would find us and bother us, and we could spend every day doing the stuff we liked. And we'd set up really elaborate puzzle rooms for travelers to solve if they happened to stumble upon the house, and watch them from the sidelines. The house would be so unusual it'd achieve urban legend status! Our special house, the Trick House!"

"...'We'? Do you mean, with your best friend Ethan?" Lance asked. When Lyra nodded, he nodded as well. "I understand... So you combined both of your gold nugget collections together to make it happen. Heh, I'm not quite sure how much all the gold in here is worth, but I have little doubt you will achieve your dream. I do want to ask you something about that, if that's alright with you."

"Okay, shoot."

"How strongly do you feel about Ethan? Are you two so inseperable that there isn't any room for anyone else?"

Lyra finally spared him a glance. His brown eyes were unreadable, as usual, and she couldn't help but notice that he didn't ask her if she loved Ethan or not, but rather how strongly she cared about him.

As if reading her mind, Lance clarified, "It's as clear as day even to those who don't know you well: Ethan cares about you very much, and you do the same. What I want to know is, how far are you willing to go for him? Do you imagine yourself spending the rest of your life with him?"

"Ethan will always be my best friend, and I will love him for the rest of my life. He's made such an impact on my childhood I don't think it's possible to remove him from my whole life completely, even if I tried, and I wouldn't dare try. That's why, no matter where I end up in life, I want to see the Trick House built; I want us to be able to connect easily, just like we always do. I want us to have tangible proof of our relationship. So yeah, I guess that means I _do_ want to be able to live the rest of my life with Ethan's presence still in it. Ah...ahaha, I hope I'm making sense here. I'm not saying I _love_ love Ethan that way, but I don't love him as a brother either, it's much deeper than that. Err, it's kinda complicated-"

"I understood what you were trying to tell me, don't worry. There are people whom we meet in our lives that... we love so much it gets to a certain point where we just can't ever live without them."

Lyra felt her spine tingle with awareness. From the way Lance was still looking at her as he spoke, and the way he said the words, it was almost as if he was saying he couldn't live without _her_. She cleared her throat and warned him mockingly, "If Ethan heard you now he wouldn't forgive you. Since he and I are inseperable and all that."

The Dragon Tamer was caught off guard, and he laughed.

"...Let's get back to looking for the next clue before we're distracted even further."

She agreed because she didn't have anything left to say, and Lance offered nothing else. His facial expression became mostly indecipherable sans the fleeting comprehension in his brown eyes as he turned his attention back to moving gold nuggets around.

One minute later...

When her roving hand touched something thin and smooth in the top right corner of the compartment, she froze. "Lance, I think I found it," she said in her normal voice so Silver could hear. Thank goodness for that, otherwise the sudden silence between her and Lance would've become really awkward. Perhaps she had been a little too honest? "I'm going to try pulling it out!"

"Is it paper? If it is then be careful when pulling it out, Lyra."

"Paper? Hmmm..." Lyra fiddled with the object in her hands. It felt really solid, but slightly bendable, and cold to the touch. "Nope, doesn't feel like paper to me."

Behind them, Silver had finished his investigation minutes ago and had been playing games on his Pokegear the whole time. He snapped the phone shut and sighed gratefully. "_Finally._ What took you Slowpokes so damn long?!"

"Lance, I can't pull it out," Lyra realized. "Drat, I can't even see what I'm doing with all this stuff in my way!"

"Here, let me make it easier for you." Lance carefully plunged both of his hands deep into the pile around the general area of what Lyra found and pushed the nuggets into two uneven piles with his arms. Now the female could plainly see what her fingers had latched onto - a thin black card made of plastic, sticking out of a little niche located at the very bottom of the compartment. Was this always there before? She couldn't recall ever seeing anything like this during her previous gold stockpiling trips, not even during the earlier ones.

She took the card in her hand again and tried wiggling it back and forth.

"I see, I have to push it down, slide it forwards, then upwards..."

Lyra did just that, and in the next moment the card was free. Two small, green LED lights on either side of the card slot blinked to life-

_CLANG-CLANG-CLANG-CLANG-CLANG-CLANG! THUNK!_

The ear-piercing noises of iron rattling on iron filled the abandoned laboratory as the door to the cage collapsed to the floor, kicking up a cloud of dust from the impact, trapping Lance and Lyra inside. The silence that followed was thick with tension.

Silver was the first to recover. "Lyra, you dumbass. Stop messing with us and get the clue already," he deadpanned.

Like a switch that had been flipped, Lyra felt herself relax by degrees, her heart thumping quickly in her chest from shock. She gulped and tried to focus on examining the prize in her hands in the dim light. The card was about two inches wide and three inches long, similar to a credit card's size. It was indeed plastic and totally black - there was nothing discernable at a glance. No words, no mysterious message like she'd hoped. Disappointment welled up inside her.

Beside her, Lance exhaled sharply. "Lyra, are you seeing what I'm seeing?" He asked urgently, squinting at the card in her hands. When she shook her head, he gently grabbed her hand and adjusted it so that the light could reflect off the face of the card.

...There. She could see it now. Two familiar words were faintly scratched onto the card's face.

**_Find me._**

No matter how many times Lyra turned the card over and over in her hands there would be nothing else to see.

"So we've come to a full circle, eh?" Lance remarked. "The first message you found said _'Find me'_, as well, didn't it? This just might be the final clue to the anonymous sender's true identity, and his location. Unless there's some other part of the message we aren't seeing, this journey might be coming to an end. It is a good thing you have a theory already, Lyra; like Silver, I'd really like to hear it from you, who you believe the culprit to be."

"Oh, I'll _definitely_ be telling you two, I assure you."

_ Especially you, Lance._

"Hey! What's going on over there?!" Silver complained, interrupting their conversation. "Tell me what's happening!"

Lance glanced up. "...Lyra found the next clue, but it appears to have been booby-trapped. It is incredibly lucky for us that you remained outside, Silver; can you try opening the door from where you are?"

"It's this electric keypad that controls the door, right? Do I need a password or something?" Silver spoke, coming to a stop in front of said keypad.

Lyra stood up and moved closer to the bars, careful not to touch them just in case the force field was back on. "Yeah, you need to hit the green "enter" button and punch in the password, then hit the enter button again. The password is _'Two in harmony surpasses one in perfection'. N_o spaces between the words!"

All was silent for a minute except for the electronic blips of buttons getting pressed. And then...

_BZZZT!_

"...Well? How is it, Silver?" Lyra asked impatiently. "Remember, no spaces!"

"That's... I did exactly what you told me to do; was this supposed to happen?"

"What? What happened?"

Silver stepped away from the keypad so Lyra could get a better view of the words on keypad's display:

* * *

**_INVALID KEY_**

* * *

"Invalid key? What does that even-"

The words of the latest riddle flashed through her mind.

**_Find me, Lyra, buried deep within the gold. Use the key and set me free._**

"Darn it, I didn't think the riddle was being literal to_ that_ extent!" Lyra smacked her forehead. "This never happened to me during my previous visits. The perp must've made some drastic changes around here while I was away... but how many changes?"

"We've wasted enough time, why bother with a stupid code key? Just smash your way out through the back wall," Silver suggested as if it were the most obvious solution. "Your boyfriend is standing right next to you. A couple of Hyper Beams from his Dragonite should do the trick."

Her response was instantaneous. "No way, nuh-uh! We can't do that! Absolutely not!"

"Why not?" Silver narrowed his eyes. "This is just an abandoned laboratory that nobody uses. There's no collateral damage to be had except maybe the forest outside, but if you're careful, it would be a simple matter of escaping-"

"No it's_ not_!" Lyra insisted.

"What, is it because it's your super special secret childhood hideout or something? Puh-lease. I thought you wanted to confront the loser that had been tormenting you all morning. Or was that a lie? Ohhhh wait - you know who it is already, don't you? Is that why you're stalling?" Silver sneered. He glanced in Lance's direction. "Hmph. It doesn't matter if you love each other or what-have-you; if it turns out to be dragonbreath over there all along he'll be getting what's coming to him."

"Don't feel like you need to hold anything back for my sake," Lance growled. "You wouldn't be able to touch me otherwise."

For once, Silver ignored the older male - but only because he wasn't through with berating Lyra yet. "And if you think about it reasonably, you aren't _really_ trapped back there like you think. You said it yourself - you're a Trainer, so start thinking and acting like one, dumbass!"

"How could you say that, Silver?! This place is _more_ than just-!"

Lyra stilled as it dawned upon her what she was about to say to him.

...Right.

If she tried to think about it objectively, then Silver was right. She was the most powerful Trainer in the region, and standing next to her in the cage was also a strong Trainer, the current Champion himself. There was literally nothing that could stop the two of them from escaping the abandoned lab, not when the destructive power of their trusted Pokemon were at hand. All they would need to do was give the order and they'd be able to escape.

But she also felt herself struggling against that logic with every fiber of her body. The reason being that the abandoned laboratory had so much sentimental value, the very notion of trashing the place in any way was completely unacceptable to her.

Checkmate.

She was trapped.

And the one who was locking her in was Lyra herself.

In that moment she hated how tied she felt to the building, she hated how right Silver was about everything, she hated having her special place used against her by the culprit!

"Silver... try inputting the password again for me, please." Lyra wasn't looking at the redheaded teen; she had her face hidden in her hands. She couldn't look.

"..." Miraculously, Silver complied to her request easily enough. Either he felt sorry for her (highly unlikely), or he just wanted to prove his point (most likely).

_BZZZT!_

"...It's no use. The password you gave me isn't working. How did you trigger the trap, anyways?"

"The latest clue was scratched onto the surface of this card Lyra found at the very bottom of the floor compartment. The cage door came crashing down after she pulled it out of the slot," Lyra heard Lance explain in her place. "Now that you mention it... the secret sender must've made some altercations to the cage security system, so that the very moment the card was pulled free, the password would reset itself to something else. Silver, you are our only hope. Do you see anything out there that might give us a clue to what the new password may be?"

"No... the folder on top of the table has a couple of empty sheets of paper, and there's nothing hidden behind the bookshelf or in the shelves."

"Look again. Carvings, scratches, stickers, paint, anything suspicious you can find could be a clue. Or maybe any hidden air vents that connect the back and the front of the lab, that would be much better. Let me know if you've made any progress."

"And if I haven't found anything?"

"Keep looking then."

"...Tch. Fine."

And then Lyra heard the sound of Lance's boots tromping closer across the wooden floor to where she was, stopping somewhere on her left. "Lyra, are you alright? I won't let Silver have his way with this building, I promise. But the best way to convince him otherwise is to find another way." A warm hand rubbed her back soothingly. "Let's find that way together."

Resisting the urge to lean towards him, Lyra lifted her face from her hands and smiled at Lance determinedly. "...Yeah, you're right. I've come this far already, so there's nothing he can throw at me that I can't handle," she declared more confidently than she felt. "He didn't really trap me here - there has to be a way to get out. There _has_ to be a solution, just like his previous riddles."

Lance stopped rubbing her back, but he did not remove his hand. His gaze was speculative once again. "Lyra, your earlier remark has got me thinking about the riddle again. The first part of the message was obviously referring to... what was hidden under the trapdoor. As you put it, the words were quite literal in this case. Can I assume that you immediately associated the words 'buried deep within the gold' with this precious collection of yours back at the Wayside? And can I also ask you what went through your mind when you pinpointed this location?"

"I just contemplated on how my favorite radio program _Horizon Ten-Five _was used to deliver his message to me. I really liked that program... it was easy for me to make the association once I'd been nudged in the right direction with Silver's help. So for the latest riddle, I tried thinking along those lines again - how anything important in my life could possibly be connected..."

"So, what do you think the second part of the riddle means? Could it be something also closely connected to your life?"

"I... I'm not sure, but right now I'm thinking it's directly referring to how we've been trapped in here for the moment..."

"And what is the key that can set you free?"

Lyra shook her head, her thoughts a complete mess. "I don't know."

"Then we're going to have to find it, otherwise we won't be meeting with the culprit for a very long time."

"...Yeah."

Lance gave her one last reassuring pat on the back and moved away from her. "I'm going to try and see if I can reverse the effects of the lock down from the compartment."

Lyra kind of doubted that would work, as a trap that has already been tripped could not be undone. But she didn't say anything because he at least had something to do. Besides the trapdoor, there was nothing of interest within this makeshift cage. The walls and ceiling were bare, there were no accessible windows, and the iron bars enclosing them in were more likely going to knock them out than to give way if they got too close.

On the other side of the bars, Lyra could see Silver crawling about the floor underneath the wooden table, searching for anything that could serve as a hint. Despite the rather brutal opinion he'd given her, he was also helping her look for another way out. She didn't know what his real motives were, but she felt grateful to him all the same.

She couldn't help but smile when she saw him slide across the floor on his stomach to get to the next spot - the result was that the previously dusty floor was now wiped clean... and she was willing to bet that the front of Silver's turtleneck would be as dirty as hell. If the teenage thug was a clean freak, he wouldn't be happy about it at all. Or maybe, if he were a slob like Ethan, would he simply not care and ignore the filth?

Her smile faded. She needed to get out of here as soon as possible, and without destroying anything.

It was amazing to think that scientists actually conducted their research out in the wilderness like this, in this very building, going so far as to assemble a complicated mechanism to keep the hostile wild Pokemon locked out-

"..."

Something about this cage was bothering her. What was it?

She took another look around.

Lance was squatting next to the open trapdoor, his arms buried in the gold nuggets, the dark cloth of his cape pooling around his ankles. He was probably still trying to make the mechanism work in his favor or something. Her eyes flicked to the walls - there was nothing particularly interesting about them. Silver wanted her to break down the wall to escape, but she didn't want that. She didn't want to resort to that option, ever. Lyra shifted her attention to the electronic keypad outside. The display still showed the words "invalid key".

What would the scientists have done if they had forgotten the password to the cage? How would they open the door? If she could, she would've liked to talk to one of those scientists herself. Too bad Celebi was in Ilex Forest, miles away from where she was. She could've done a little time travelling... talk to some scientists... or maybe travel back and stop her stupid self from pulling the card key out.

...Wait. She didn't need to time travel; she didn't need to speak to the scientists of the past. Why, when she was friends with Professor Elm himself?

Lyra quickly pulled out her Pokegear and dialed the professor's number. But instead of him answering her call like she'd hoped, it went to voicemail. Drat. He was probably really busy... Ethan did say they were on the verge of making a great discovery-

Oh, right! Ethan was the next best thing! Or, maybe not. He was in the middle of exploring the caverns beneath Tohjo Falls, wasn't he? Would he even get phone reception down there...? No, she had to at least try! So she hit the shortcut, speed-dialling him, praying he would pick up.

...Nope. He was out of range.

Lyra felt herself deflate. Now what was she going to do?

If only the keypad were on the inside, she could play around with it and find a way to let herself out!

...

...

Come to think of it... how did the scientists get out of the cage area if the door were locked and the force field activated? They wouldn't be able to reach through the bars to get at the electronic keypad. Was there an emergency switch they used, or some kind of remote control? Or a secret exit?

But there was nothing resembling a remote or switch or exit. There was only the compartment in the floor.

...

Maybe it was hidden, then?

"Togekiss, I choose you!"

Lance and Silver looked up from their respective places at the sudden cry. The Jubilee Pokemon spread his wings straight out as if stretching before waddling across the floor right up to Lyra, cooing cutely at his Trainer.

"Oi, what ever happened to Miss _'I don't want to break out using force'_, huh?" Silver mocked. He was about to get up on his hands and knees but remembered just in time that he was currently underneath a long, low table, so he just stayed where he was and tried crawling out instead.

"I'm doing nothing of the sort, just watch me!" Lyra made a wide sweeping gesture with her hand. "Togekiss, use Foresight on those walls!"

Togekiss began to levitate, and he slowly circled around so that his back was facing the steel bars.

"...!"

A bright blaze of red light burst forth from Togekiss' eyes. It wasn't nearly as blinding as Flash but Lyra winced and struggled to keep her eyes open all the same - she needed to confirm if her hunch was on the mark...!

"Ah! Over there!" Lance gasped.

To Lyra's delight, a second electronic keypad materialized within the cage after mere seconds of exposure to the crimson radiance, its position exactly parallel to the one on the outside. Well, she had been hoping for a hidden exit but this was progress enough in her books. Lyra gave Togekiss a big hug and scrambled over excitedly to the keypad, trying to get it to turn on by pressing random buttons. It blinked to life. Success!

Lance was by her side half a second later. "A second keypad, I see... I assume this is what the previous scientists used to unlock the door from the inside. Masterfully cloaked as well."

"I'm just really glad it works!" Lyra commented. She felt like doing a victory dance right then and there, but it would have to wait - she wasn't out of the woods yet, after all.

The newly discovered keypad hummed and buzzed.

* * *

**_SYNCHRONIZING..._**

* * *

"'Synchronizing'? I hope that's a good thing," Lyra quipped. Togekiss mewled beside her, echoing his Trainer's sentiment.

Silver finally got out from under the table and lurched to his feet. "So, a second keypad. Whoop-dee-doo," he said sarcastically, unconsciously dusting himself off as he went to stand as close as he could to the bars for a better look. He watched the girl press away at the buttons for a few pensive seconds before he remarked, "I hope you know what you're doing with that."

"Nope, no idea at all! I'm just winging it like how I did at the Golden Coliseum!"

The keypad on Silver's side released an electric chime at the exact same time as Lyra's keypad, startling the boy.

* * *

**_TRUTH OR HAPPINESS?_**

* * *

"I don't even know what's going on anymore," Silver moaned. He eyed his electronic keypad dubiously.

...Perhaps he didn't understand, but Lyra did.

And as she stared at the words on the display, reading the words silently to herself, she swore she could almost hear _him_ saying those words to her, asking her to choose between truth and happiness.

Him, the secret sender, her opponent in this strange game he'd forced her into.

How selfish of him to make her choose between truth or happiness... Lyra felt a tiny bit mad.

She glanced up at Lance's face, not at all surprised to see how calm and collected he was about this. His facade had begun to slip mere moments before already; he probably felt that it was pointless to keep up the charade for any longer than necessary. That was fine with her. Lyra didn't want to beat around the bush, either. It was time to end this.

"If the keypads have been 'synchronized', then we most likely need the password input to be 'synchronized' as well," Lance pointed out. "So whatever you plan to type, make sure to let the other know."

"Thanks for the update, Captain Obvious," Silver leered.

Lyra cleared her throat to catch the teen's attention. "Silver, I want you to type in 'happiness' on your side. Meanwhile, I'll go for the 'truth'. And on my mark, we'll hit the enter button together, alright?"

"Hoh, but shouldn't we be using the same password? That was the whole point why the keypads coordinated with each other just now, right?"

"Life isn't about right or wrong, black or white, possible or impossible. It's about making the impossible, possible. Seeing everything in gray."

"...Did you get that from a book?" Siver chortled, punching in the word 'happiness' in his keypad anyways. "That was too good a line to come up with off the top of your head. Oh, wait a minute, you don't like reading, do you? Ethan told me all about it."

Lyra bristled with embarrassment and annoyance, practicaly jabbing her finger on the buttons on her keypad. "I admit I still have no idea what I'm doing here, okay? I admit it, so there! Now back to business: once we're ready, we hit the 'enter' button simultaneously-"

"What happens if it's the wrong answer?" Silver asked suddenly. "I think I get your train of logic. It's the 'truth' that will set you free, and it's 'happiness' that got you trapped in the first place, am I right? Gotta admit, I wasn't expecting anything deep and philosophical out of _you_." He ignored Lyra's pointed glare. "What if something especially bad happens, like we get electrocuted or something, or the keypads shut down and we can't use them anymore? What would we do then?"

Lyra knew what he was really asking: was she going to muster enough nerve to break out of the building by force if there was no other way?

"This has to work," she said at last. "It has to."

"...So that's your answer, huh? Well, that's fine. I was going to offer to do it for you if it bothered you that much-"

"No." This time, it was Lance who answered, earning himself yet another one of Silver's glares. "She wouldn't allow you to do it because she cares about you, and she doesn't want to be angry with what you did. She values your friendship."

"I was talking to _her_, not you!"

"Lyra can't just compare this place and your friendship, it's two different but very important things. You can at least understand that much, can't you?"

"..." Silver stared at the Dragon Master for a moment, shrugged and sighed as if he were tired of everything (he probably was) and placed his hand on his electric keypad. "...Ready when you are, Lyra."

* * *

Lyra's solution had worked, in a sense. Definitely not the way she'd thought it would play out.

When she and Silver pressed the 'enter' buttons, the building's electrical wiring short-circuited itself. Both keypads shut down on themselves, and the room suddenly smelled like smoke (luckily there wasn't any fire). At first, she was scared that she'd need to cause some damage after all but then her Togekiss Headbutted the iron bars in an attempt to break her Trainer out, proving that the force-field had been deactivated as well. Lance managed to lift the cage door - which was no longer locked electronically - open with Dragonite's immense strength, and they were free at last.

Silver did not want to stay in that filthy abandoned lab any longer, and the couple agreed readily enough, feeling slightly claustrophobic after the self-imposed ordeal. So after Lyra rearranged the vines camoflaging the path to the lab they retraced their previous path, all the way to the entrance of Tohjo Falls again.

"This is it guys, are you ready?" Lyra looked fired up because she was _feeling_ fired up. It was time to show off her knowledge on the facts of the mystery! Like in the mystery novels Ethan lent her! "I'm going to explain everything!"

"...Why stand around and rattle off pointless theories? We should just ambush the man already, whoever the hell you think it is." Silver was getting agitated again, but Lyra shook her head.

"No, the denouement needs to happen right here, or there's no point! Let me ask you again, are you ready to hear the truth?!" She demanded, pointing dramatically.

Silver rolled his eyes. "We might as well get this over and done with already."

"Let's hear your truth, Lyra." Lance agreed much more cordially compared to the younger male, crossing his arms over his chest.

This wasn't a conventional detective story - there was no guarantee that the mystery could be solved, and there was always the chance that Lyra had missed some stuff or had forgotten to factor a few things into her theory. There wasn't any clear indication that the perp had left enough clues behind, either. There didn't seem to be any new clues at the abandoned laboratory save for the card key Lyra had obtained, but it was hardy incriminating. And yet Lyra had it all figured out even before they'd first arrived at Tohjo Falls...

"First, let me say this." Lyra declared. "The culprit is definitely somebody I know... and somebody who knows me well!"

The anonymously sent messages, the challenges, the people that have crossed paths with Lyra today... the only clue that had any real worth were the messages written by the secret sender's own hand. It would be child's play to compare the handwriting to that of her friends'.

"Or is it, really? Who was to say that the culprit didn't get somebody else to write the messages for him?"

"Wait, why would he go so far as to do something like that?" Silver disagreed. "Why would he risk letting the entire case blow wide open like that by showing his hand to a third party?"

"There is only one obvious reason for that. He couldn't risk tipping me off too early in the game - it's most likely that I've seen his handwriting before, and if he'd been the one to write the messages it'd be the same as hanging a sign from his neck that said 'I'm the culprit'!"

"But if he really did that then the person who wrote the messages for him would become his accomplice!"

"I'll be getting to that soon... instead, here's my next point - I definitely spoke to the culprit at least twice today!"

Thankfully Lyra hadn't come across a lot of people these past few hours. The truth becomes clearer the less suspects there are. And it was also thanks to that, Lyra had been able to determine how many people had been truthful and forthcoming with her today.

"And I can say this with full confidence... that only one person was telling me the truth the whole time," Lyra proclaimed. "This innocent person had nothing to do with the events happening around me, and had no real reason to lie to me... and the coincidences I've shared with this person were just that - coincidences. Unfortunately, everyone else has now been overshadowed with their own lies!"

The next problem was how the culprit had set everything up. This was obviously well-planned out except for a few proverbial wrenches thrown in there. The question is, which parts were planned, and which weren't? Their ordeal at the abandoned laboratory was obviously a pre-planned thing, and Lyra was willing to bet that both the blackout and Silver's radio being used in the scheme were pre-planned, too.

"I still think it was strange that Morty was at the Coliseum so early in the morning. Actually, I think it's really strange how certain people popped up today. I believe that they were involved in my predicament somehow."

"While I think it's plausible that multiple people or a group could've done this, I still think it's a bit much to have so many culprits at once, Lyra," Lance said dryly. "Too many people working on the same thing could tear the entire operation apart, it's human nature."

Lyra smiled confidently. "Uh-huh. I still think these other people were involved _somehow_, if not directly responsible for my morning. But you're right, though, having too many people working together on something like this is inviting trouble, and a real headache to solve. If the culprit really were multiple people, it would be cheating!"

"Cheating?"

"But of course. The culprit has always given me enough clues to work with, I just needed to keep my eyes open the whole time. He may have had some advantages, but he allowed me to have some help solving his riddles, didn't he? You were the one who pointed that out to me, Lance."

So how did the culprit set everything up? Silver had confirmed it himself with his little unprecedented recon mission, but the Radio Tower director had been paid off. So it wasn't a terribly huge stretch to assume that the culprit had both wealth and influence at his fingertips. With those kinds of resources anything was possible - the Golden Coliseum's monitors and the abandoned laboratory's new "upgrades" come to mind.

And there you have it - suspects, resources, and the one "reliable" clue disproved as the most misleading one of them all.

Lyra's stare was unwavering. "But, really... I never would've gotten around to solving the first riddle without some help..."

The first riddle was a combination of two messages - _'Find me'_, and _'Find me, Lyra'_, both of which were delivered indirectly to her. She'd been able to deduce where the culprit was leading her by thinking outside the box, associating the phrase_ 'Find me'_ with the love song that had been playing on that stereo. On her own, Lyra would never have come to that conclusion - her original plan was to wait for a new message from the culprit to tell her where he was, but thanks to the Dragon Master's help, a path had opened up to her, and the chase had begun in earnest, leaving their original plans at Battle Tower behind...

"Lance, when did you find the time to get replacements for the two of us at the Battle Tower tournament?" Lyra asked.

"Right after our phone call, of course. I am still the Champion, even if it's in name only - you may be the next in line but my name still opens a lot of doors for me. I told you that you didn't need to worry about that. I am sure that Blue and Red are doing a fantastic job in our place."

"I'm not worried about their last minute performance... but I am seriously wondering if they were 'last-minute replacements' at all to begin with."

He frowned. "Why do you say that?"

"As we left the Wayside diner, you _did_ tell me that Red and Blue were taking part in the tournament in our place," Lyra began, "But going back to our phone conversation earlier that morning, you... you were so sweet, coming to my rescue like that. You sounded so worried over the phone, and you had really rushed as fast as you could to Ethan's house... I was really touched at the time."

"Of course I would do that. You sounded so spooked over the phone, and I got so worried... All I could really think of at the time was getting to your side as fast as I could."

Lyra bit her lip. "...And you know what's really throwing me off, Lance? I can tell you're being sincere when you say those things. But the facts still stand."

At the time Lance was about to hang up his phone, Lyra had clearly remembered the background noises from Lance's end - the crowds, the sudden silence, and the telltale sounds of his Dragonite getting off the ground. Lyra had flown about with Lance so many times now, it wasn't hard for her to remember. So if Lance really did pull some strings to get Red and Blue to act as stand-ins at Battle Tower, _when_ did he find the time to do it? It couldn't have been right after calling Lyra and before Flying off on his Dragonite like he claimed because the time frame was too small. It couldn't have been while he was Flying because Lance himself had claimed to be Flying at higher altitudes to avoid strong winds and to get to Lyra faster - it would've been impossible to get proper steady reception up there. And if he'd done the calls after arriving at New Bark Town, it would've been too late to call for a stand-in.

"I believe you when you say you got us some replacements, because you aren't the kind of person who easily abandons his duties. Also, no matter how powerful the person, these kinds of last-minute replacements take half a day at most, especially when considering the paperwork involved. So there is only one explanation for this corundum." Lyra pointed at Lance. "You had gotten Red and Blue to act as our tournament replacements some time before today! That was part of the reason why you had no problem abandoning the tournament for me!"

Silver raised an eyebrow. "What does that prove, Sherlock?"

Lyra dropped her hand. "Absolutely nothing! On its own, at least. So far, all I've done was prove that Lance is a pretty thorough guy... and that he was lying about it."

"You're point?"

Through all of these, the culprit's plan was still too large a project to control. It involved solving riddles, travelling over long distances and even a time limit at one point. There wouldn't be any point to his hard work if Lyra happened to misinterpret some part of a riddle, or got led astray by some stupid friend who didn't know any better, or worse. Lyra, the direct recepient of the messages, needed to be in the right places at the right times for the culprit's plan to hold together. To put it in Lance's own words, the culprit was keeping an eye on her.

"You were keeping an eye on me this whole time, Lance."

"Yes, I was. I kept an eye on you because I wanted to," Lance said carefully. "I was worried about you... and I wanted you to succeed in catching the secret sender."

Lyra shook her head, amazed. "You're being sincere again. It's amazing how well you can dodge the truth by not telling the whole truth."

Silver was now giving Lance the evil eye, and he looked about as tense as a Growlithe, ready to jump and tear the older man's head off at any moment's notice.

"...So what is the 'truth', Lyra?" Lance asked gently. "What are you accusing me of?"

_What are you accusing me of?_ That was a weirdly worded question. But Lyra's momentum was still going strong. "You were keeping an eye on me this whole time... not just because you were worried or whatever, but also because you needed me to stay on the riddles' trails. As I've said, it's because if you didn't, the whole thing would fall apart at the seams."

But that wasn't all. Lance the Dragon Master had been there for Lyra since the very beginning, wasn't he? It was thanks to Lance's guidance she managed to decode the first riddle. If he had not been there, the path she'd taken that morning wouldn't have been discovered.

"Or maybe I'm not being clear enough? My point is, those phrases _'Find me'_ and _'Find me, Lyra'_ were just that, phrases written by a third party and addressed to me. They were just meaningless things that I wouldn't have taken much stock into... but _you_ got me thinking that they were more than that, Lance. It was because of _you_ that the option to go to Goldenrod City became feasible!"

Lance was the one who called her first, even. He had gotten Red and Blue to take their places at the tournament some time beforehand, too... but why, exactly? Perhaps Lance had already knew that he wouldn't be able to participate today? He was the one who helped Lyra get into a puzzle-solving state of mind. He travelled with her to Goldenrod City, still guiding her every step of the way. And it nagged Lyra at the back of her mind, how Lance seemed to appear at just the right moments.

"This is my 'truth'!" Lyra declared. "Lance, you-!"

"So it _was_ you!" Silver shouted at Lance, his hands balling into fists. He walked briskly towards the Dragon Tamer. "It was _you_, you son of a-!"

"Silver, wait! No!" Lyra cried. "I haven't finished-"

He ignored Lyra's pleas and tackled the older male with all of his might. Pokemon battle? What Pokemon battle? Silver wasn't going to honor the man with one, because in his own opinion he didn't_ deserve_ it!

The boys grappled with each other across the grass, punching and kicking while teetering dangerously close to the river. Lance was someone who constantly ended up in direct skirmishes with criminals who just couldn't accept a loss, so he was no stranger to getting ambushed out of the blue. But Silver was smart, agile, and nimble, and he fought like a Rocket - he was also determined and angry. There was no way in hell he'd let this sick, lying bastard get away with this alive!

Lyra tried to stop them, and with the help of her hastily released Typhlosion, managed to separate them at last-

"_Rrrraaagh_!"

Silver kicked out his leg at the last possible second, catching Lance right where the sun didn't shine.

"Augh?!"

Lance gasped after a five second delay, curling up from the attack to his... sun?

"Stop!"

Lyra's scream did nothing to keep Silver kicking Lance a second time in the... sun, and to her horror, Lance fell over sideways from the unbearable pain and rolled into the river with a faint splash.

She didn't think, she didn't hesitate. Lyra dropped her bag to the ground, threw off her hat and jumped in after him.

Lance hadn't been joking when he implied how dangerous the river was back at the Wayside diner. Maybe it _was_ smaller back in Lyra's younger years, but thanks to time, natural calamities and soil erosion the river was now a hazard zone not just for the regular folks at New Bark, but even the seasoned Trainers who were on their way to challenge the Indigo League. But Lyra wasn't afraid for her life - rather, she were afraid for Lance's. No matter how good of a swimmer he turned out to be, he couldn't possibly put up a decent fight against a rampaging river immediately after receiving the brunt of Silver's Castration Kick!

Lyra swam as fast as she could, dodging every rock and low tree branch that threatened to slow her down or knock her out... oh no, Lance wouldn't have been able to dodge those either, would he? Hopefully, he'd still be conscious when she finally got to him-

"Oi!"

There was a shout from the riverbank. Lyra glanced quickly in the direction of the voice, her ears already too clogged with water to recognize who the speaker was.

"Pigtails, hold up!" Silver seemed to be shouting, running as fast as he could to keep up with the girl. Lyra's faithful Typhlosion was easily keeping pace, dashing forward using his long body like a spring. He suddenly raised his head and fired an Ember in Lyra's general direction.

"?!"

Lyra hadn't been looking where she was going; she had almost been at the mercy of a fallen log, but part of it was burned away by the Ember attack just in time so Lyra had the chance to duck underwater. When her head popped back out three seconds later, Silver was throwing one of his own Pokeballs.

"Feraligatr, hurry and help her find cape-freak!"

With a magnificent splash, the blue reptile was soon swimming just in front of Lyra, Headbutting right through any rocks and branches and logs that got in the way. Lyra reached out and grabbed the Pokemon from behind with both arms, and the two of them soon out paced Silver and Typhlosion.

She stuck her head out as far as she was able, squinting desperately at the wild currents for any sign of the man. When she spotted a familiar shock of bright red hair in the distance she let out a hopeful, incorregible cry. "Feraligatr, over there! Quick!"

* * *

**SPINNING - 04**

**END**

* * *

**NEXT: **THE CLIMAX!

* * *

**Fic Updates:**

ver. 1.0 - Uploaded the first chapter! (2/16/14)  
ver. 2.1 - Fixed spelling and grammar mistakes in the first chapter; uploaded the second chapter! (2/21/14)  
ver. 2.3 - Fixed spelling and grammar mistakes, and extended some scenes in the second chapter! (2/22/14)  
ver. 3.4 - Uploaded the third chapter, fixed typos in the same chapter! (3/1/14)  
ver. 3.5 - Fixed an embarrassing typo in the second chapter! (3/5/14)  
ver. 4.8 - Uploaded the fourth chapter, fixed typos in the same chapter, edited some scenes for better flow in the third chapter! (3/17/14)  
ver. 4.9 - Fixed spelling and grammar mistakes in the fourth chapter! (3/18/14)


	5. FULL CIRCLE

A/N: I do not own Pokemon, nor any of the characters, places, etc. mentioned in this fanfiction. And I don't know how to properly write a girl's feelings. (Proper acknowledgements will be made after the ending of the story to prevent spoilers.)

Thanks to **lancexlyra4ever, ****pokefan,** **Kitsunekit75,** **Light1172 **and** AquilaTempestas **for reviewing!

This is the final chapter! I had a lot of fun writing this, it was kind of like a long school assignment. And that means it's time to hear some real critiques now that everything has been submitted. I have two lists next to me - one that has all the technical stuff like spelling or plot points I needed more work on (I can't believe nobody has pointed out how many times I've misspelled Valentine's Day!), the other reserved for the mystery elements I needed to iron out. I've already compared notes with a trusted friend, but I'm curious to hear what you guys have to say. Even you lurkers out there! Don't be shy to leave me some comments on the story - you can leave anonymous reviews, you know!

Still hope you'll continue to enjoy this (late) Valentine's Day fic! I repeat: This chapter is the last chapter!

Also, after much deliberation, a sequel has been decided on.

P.S. A lot of flashbacks in this chapter!

* * *

**FULL CIRCLE**

* * *

"Now I'm Wondering Where You've Always Been"

* * *

**_Find me._**

**_Find me, Lyra._**

_**Find me, Lyra, at 7.15, at 7:15, at 7+15, at 715.**_

**_Find me, Lyra, buried deep within the gold. Use the key and set me free._**

**_Find me._**

* * *

People's lives are so tightly entwined around the other.

A spiral.

The spiral spins, and with it, untold mysteries.

Spinning... spinning...

Around and around...

Where does the spiral lead?

It leads you down, and around, and up until you've reached the point of origin.

A full circle.

But it doesn't stop there, because the mysteries never fade,

People's lives continue to entwine with each other,

And the spiral spins on...

* * *

On the outside, Lyra was desperately worried about Lance.

When Feraligatr finally caught up to the man and dragged him back onto land flat on his back, Lyra immediately saw to his aid, and she was relieved that Lance was still breathing. He was only semi-conscious, though - the pain from Silver's low blows were so much it was enough to make him black out at first... but the shock from falling into the cold river water and the pumping adrenaline in his own body had successfully kept Lance awake. It might not be an exaggeration to say this may have been one of the most torturous ordeals the Dragon Master had to go through, ever.

Still, he had enough energy left to flash Lyra a wan little smile before completely passing out.

Lyra bit her lip at the pitiful sight.

She was beside herself with worry. But on the inside...

The rush of elation and pride from reaching the truth was still present, but it was coupled with this strong _denial_ of said truth.

Was there a proper term for this paradox of acceptance and denial?

"We need to take him to the nearest Pokecenter," Silver said gruffly, returning Feraligatr to his Pokeball. "The one in Cherrygrove city should be enough."

Trainers were usually brought to Pokecenters when their injuries were caused by _Pokemon_, but Lyra didn't bother pointing that one out. Instead, she asked him, "Silver... why did you attack Lance?"

"I told you, the culprit had it coming to him."

"...You really... you really wanted the culprit to be Lance, didn't you."

Silver had attacked Lance with so much _rage_ once Lyra had shown just enough conclusive evidence of Lance's involvement in the riddles. He'd been so ready and willing to punish the Dragon Master... it bothered her to no end.

"Silver, why do you want to pin the blame on Lance that badly?"

"'Pin the blame'? Isn't he the real mastermind behind the message chain?" Silver scoffed.

"He is, but- err- I guess I worded that wrong," Lyra finished lamely. She tried again, "Why are you so happy that the culprit is Lance? No wait, not _happy_, but..."

Silver just stood there, hands in his pockets and that brooding look on his face again and not bothering to help her out.

"...Upset?" Lyra amended. "Why do you seem so upset, even though I've proven Lance did it?"

"..."

"You probably figured out what I was going to say in the end, didn't you."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Silver snapped. "And we can't stay here. Or do you want your precious boyfriend to suffer out here some more?"

Truth or happiness?

It was such a deceptively simple question. For Lyra, there was no black and white, right or wrong. The only thing that mattered was that you made the choice when you were required to, and to stand by it no matter the consequences. She believed that you could be happy and still reach the truth. But for a certain someone... you couldn't have both 'truth' and 'happiness'. And Silver here appeared to share the same idea as him.

Silver was lying to Lyra, lying to himself... denying the truth.

She didn't mention anything further to Silver because she was worried about him, becuase she didn't think there was anything she could say to help him feel better. Lyra believed that you could have both 'truth' and 'happiness', but that didn't mean the truth was going to hurt any less.

* * *

Lance lay on the bed, still passed out. Lyra had been alternating between checking the time, looking out the window and watching Lance sleep for ten minutes now. Silver wasn't around - once Lance had been tended to he'd vanished without a word. Lyra wasn't sure if she'd ever see him again, and she never got the chance to thank him again for coming along for the ride, even if it were just a short while, but she decided that she wouldn't waste time looking for him and wait for Lance to wake up instead.

Her strong, brave Dragon Master had been struck down from the attacks to his groin and nearly drowned afterwards. It baffled her, how this little part of her kind of found that funny, but she couldn't bring herself to laugh as she saw how pale and motionless he was.

...

...

She knew he'd soon overcome this, just like how he overcame everything else. But it was nearly 9:40am now - Lyra was resolved to finish this wild goose chase, with or without him. She'd rather he were by her side, of course, but if he didn't wake up in the next five minutes she would be heading back to Tohjo Falls on her own-

"Mm... ngh."

Lance began to stir beneath the blanket.

-Huh. Speak of the devil.

"Where...?" He mumbled, wincing and squinting under the harsh fluorescent lights.

"Lance, are you feeling any better?" Lyra asked him softly. "Silver and I brought you to the Pokemon Center in Cherrygrove."

"My head hurts, but..."

"The nurse will be back soon with the results. She said you bumped your head... it's not that bad, but they ran a couple of tests anyways to see if you had a concussion or anything life threatening, just to be safe." Lyra began to climb out of her chair. "Let me go get her so she can-"

"Wait!"

Lance sat right up, reached out and grabbed her arm so fast it was almost as if his previous defenselessness was a lie. Lyra gaped down at the hand holding her in place and the man that owned it.

"Ooookay, maybe you don't have a concussion."

"That isn't what I'm worried about."

"There's something more important than the fact you'd nearly drowned?"

They stayed in that awkward position for a few beats - Lyra halfway out of her chair and Lance leaning out of the bed just to keep her there - before he sighed. "I suppose I have to ask outright if you aren't going to bring it up yourself."

"Ask me what?" Lyra was completely lost.

"Do you think it was me?"

His voice sounded curiously flat. Lance released his grip on Lyra's arm and reached up, cradling Lyra's cheek with his hand. It felt clammy but cool... physical evidence of his earlier ordeal. She resisted the urge to close her eyes at the sensation, though. She needed to concentrate on what he was saying.

"Do you suspect me to be the culprit?"

It took Lyra seven seconds to process what he'd just said. "You're asking about that _now_?"

His gaze didn't waver. "I want you to finish your explanation."

"Not while you're in bed!"

"Then I'll stand up."

"Wha- no!"

Lance was already moving. Lyra sprang forwards, pushing him back down on the bed. Thankfully, he wasn't trying very hard to climb out of bed in the first place. But she didn't remove her hands from his body, just in case. "Lance, you're supposed to be the voice of reason here, not me! I'm the one who gets herself in hot water and needs to be bailed out! I'm the one who needs to slow down and think things through! Seeing you act like this is... it's too _weird_!"

Sudden mood swings... maybe he did have a concussion after all? She took a deep breath, ready to say a whole lot more, but he spoke first.

"I need to know, Lyra."

"Eh?"

"I need to hear the 'truth' you've reached."

"What's the matter with you?!" Lyra's fingers unconsciously clenched the cotton material of his hospital gown. "Why are you doing this?! That kind of stuff can wait until _after_ you get better!"

Lance closed his eyes and muttered so quietly Lyra wouldn't have heard it if she weren't literally leaning over him the way she was right now. "So, he still manages to beat me out, even when he's not here..."

The darkness in his voice made her shiver, but she had to ask. "Who's 'he'?"

He kept his eyes closed and didn't offer any reply.

...Was he talking about Silver?

Or could it be...

"Lance, why are you so desperate to hear the answers I've come up with?"

"You sound like you already know the reason."

"No, I don't know the reason. I just have a hunch."

"A hunch, huh..."

"Yeah. But I can't win this challenge if you keep witholding information from me," Lyra pleaded. "Didn't you want to help me figure this out? A hunch isn't good enough. I need something conclusive to work with here. So tell me the reason why you want to know what I've come up with, and I'll tell you what you want to hear."

Lance opened his eyes again, startling the girl somewhat but she didn't look away.

"I didn't mean to withold anything from you on purpose. But it's part of the deal, so I don't have much legroom."

"A deal?"

"Yes. Part of the deal was to help you solve the riddles without giving you the answers straight out. There is one loophole, though."

What loophole? What deal?

More secrets?

When he didn't elaborate, Lyra searched the depths of his brown eyes for any hidden truths. For a sign.

_You need to leave the poor man alone. He'd nearly drowned in a river, for God's sake! He isn't right in the head!_

But she couldn't ignore the pleading look he was giving her right now. She couldn't ignore Lance.

...She would tell him. If it meant he wouldn't do anything reckless, then-

"Okay. Here is my 'truth'." Lyra felt him go completely still beneath her at her soft spoken declaration. Satisfied she had his full attention, she continued, "Lance... after looking over all the circumstantial evidence... you're unmistakeably involved in the anonymous message chain. Deeply involved. The logical answer here would be that you are the mastermind behind the anonymous message chain, and Ethan is your accomplice."

"Of course it is." His voice was just as quiet as hers.

"It all fits really nicely. You have the connections and the cash to make it all happen. With my best friend's help - who happens to be a mystery lover - you would have some really formidable challenges and tricks to stump me with," she laughed. "This morning, at Ethan's house... you two really got me with that award-winning performances you know? Both of you were in on it, so it was easy to get me hooked on the mystery behind the _'Find me'_ messages I got. Geez, how could I have forgotten one of the most basic rules of mystery novels?! Ethan even said it himself when I called him - the culprit always returns to the scene of the crime. And the most suspicious ones always show up in the very beginning of the tale."

"You also can't forget that, in a mystery novel, the culprit always lies to protect himself. Or can I take it that you've figured out how the cardboard box was left for you inside Ethan's bedroom?"

"It's glaringly obvious, and I wish I'd figured it out sooner - Ethan lied about not knowing what the box was, and he left it behind the speakers himself." Lyra paused. "He probably had to bend over the entire thing just to get it there in the first place. Ethan was never good at cleaning... if I snuck back to his bedroom right now and checked his closet I'd probably find some shirt or jacket of his with the entire front side covered in ancient dirt."

Lance chuckled. "The proper term for this would be... _hoist by his own petard_?"

"Nah, I think _what goes around comes around_ suits the situation better."

Lyra bit her lip. She was hesitating to say the next words, but... she needed to get it off her chest, even if he thought she were crazy. "Uh... Lance? I have to admit... even though I was kind of freaked out in the beginning, I _really_ enjoyed travelling around and solving puzzles with you. I mean, it's been years since we ever worked on anything like this, like a _team_, didn't we? I mean... the danger, the urgency, _thrilled_ me every second, every-"

She noticed him staring solemnly at her.

"...And- and I really enjoyed flying around with you in general," Lyra rambled, switching to a different track of conversation in an attempt at damage control. "-I never knew you could command Dragonite to do those aerial stunts... and eating at the Wayside diner with you was like a dream come true... and-"

"I'm so glad to hear you say that." Lance's large, calloused hand covered both of hers, cradling them solidly against his chest. "That you enjoyed yourself with the little 'quest' is the reaction I was fervently hoping for when I planned this. Happy Valentine's, Lyra."

"W-what?"

She stared at him uncomprehendingly.

He stared back.

...

...

...

And then it finally hit her.

The mastermind's - _Lance's_ - motive.

"Wait, are you telling me-?" Lyra nearly choked on her own spit. "Are you telling me that you set this whole thing up for me? I mean, _for Valentine's Day_?!"

"Yes."

"You spent God-only-knows amount of money, time, resources and dignity just to set up some ridiculously elaborate challenge as your Valentine's Day gift to me?!"

Lance coughed. "I must confess that I myself also enjoyed the past few hours we've spent together... even with Silver eventually worming his way into it. And you don't need to worry about my dignity, either."

"Ack..."

Lyra blushed slightly and blurted out the first thing that came to her mind- "And I ruined it all by inviting Silver with us... and I even ended up forcing you to go along with it, too!"

"No, it was I who extended the offer to him. Because no matter how much he irritated me, if it made you happy, then I-"

"Darn it, that's not _fair_!" She half-shouted, pulling one of her hands free from his grip and smacking his chest. Her mind was finally recovering from the shock, and she was feeling mighty overwhelmed. "This- this Valentine's Day gift is too hard to top! And you know how I hate getting so much money spent on me! _Your_ hard-earned money, of all things! You have projects and dreams, don't you?!"

Lance winced from her sudden attack, but it didn't deter him in the slightest. "It's my money, Lyra, and... that's all it is. Money can be easily made, the same way it can be easily used up. ...But there is only one you."

Those words seemed to echo throughout her very being.

She stopped breathing altogether. His grip on her remaining hand grew tighter.

"If it's the money that bothers you then let me tell you this - _no one_ and _nothing_ on earth can replace you. This isn't a loan that someone promises to pay me back later. Call it an investment in my future, if you will. In _our_ future. And I assure you, it was worth every dollar."

It was all so _surreal_.

Lyra could feel the very beginnings of tears forming from hearing his confession.

...She shouldn't be taking this so seriously, she berated herself. His words were beautiful, but Lance was a victim of near-drowning. He _sounded_ alright, sure, but he _couldn't_ be aware of what he was saying to her. He was clearly out of it, and when he finally got better he'd be back to normal... and they would go back to what they were before: flirting right on the dangerously thin line between friendship and love, with little to no hope of it ever progressing further-

"Lyra, I need you. Now and forever. And I'd do anything to make you happy."

-He just _said_ it. Like he had no idea how it cracked her open. And Lyra _did_ crack, straight down the middle.

"...Lance?" She croaked.

"Mm?"

Lyra smacked his chest again - harder this time - earning a pained grunt from the male beneath her. 'Near-drowning victim' moniker be damned! She determinedly blinked away the watery feeling in her eyes and glared down at him.

"I have so much to say to you, you have _no_ idea. I want to explain how normal people usually buy candy and flowers for Valentine's Day! I want to list down all the stuff that is just plain sociopathic and _wrong_ about your idea of the 'perfect gift'! And I want to scream at you and hit you some more for tricking me, preferably with a pitchfork or a fan! Then maybe you'll think twice before trying another stupid stunt like this ever again! Why do you Dragon Tamers have to be so _extreme_ about everything?! Geez!"

Lance laughed sheepishly at her outburst. He had nothing to say in his defense.

Lyra's gaze softened. "...But before I get to all of that, I need to tell you something important."

"...?"

"It isn't the money that bothers me."

"Then what-?"

She bent down, closed her eyes and kissed Lance right on the lips, stunning him into silence.

All the affection, embarrassment, gratefulness and irritation she felt for her Dragon Tamer was just too much to bear, and she just_ had_ to kiss him. It astounded her; how was she able to hold herself back when his face - his lips - was_ right in front of hers_ this whole time? And why ever did she hold herself back in the first place? Lyra couldn't remember the reason. She could've been kissing him moments ago, no _ages_ ago, when she first acknowledged her attraction to him last year. Lance, her proud, stubborn, secretive, anti-social Dragon Master. Her dashing, dramatic, knight/superhero wannabe extraordinaire...

She felt his body stiffen under her palms, which was about the only thing that kept the kiss as chaste as it was; the only thing that gave her the strength to pull back. "Sorry!" she blurted out immediately, horrified at her own hormone-induced actions. She was distantly aware of how hard she was trembling.

"Lyra..." He was staring at her with wide eyes, looking a little cracked open himself. He was trembling, too.

This was it. She'd ruined it. She'd gone and acted like a total moron and ruined everything, moving too fast, and in a Pokecenter of all places!

She swallowed. "I..."

Then he let go of her hand and instead grabbed her shoulders, and in the next second _he_ was kissing _her_, and it was no longer a crack - it was a fissure straight through the heart of her, splitting the old Lyra in two, letting a new woman emerge.

The kiss was so much more _violent_ than she had ever considered him capable of - all tongue and teeth and the unleashing of over twelve months' worth of yearning. Lyra had already knew that Lance had been holding himself back in front of her, in front of everyone else. She'd thought she was ready for that side of him. She was dead wrong. And this was only the very tip of the iceberg... the very thought of it made her knees go weak. If she wasn't already lying on top of him on the bed, she'd have dropped to the floor.

He broke away from the kiss to murmur, "Lyra," against her lips before urgently drawing her close again, this time his hands cupping her cheeks. She eagerly met him halfway.

The third kiss was a kiss between strangers, because Lyra didn't know this man - moving against her like a beast that had been suddenly roused from slumber, groaning and panting into her mouth like there was nothing and no one in the world he wanted more - and she certainly didn't know the her that could drive Lance to such a state. They kissed again and again until they were fully reacquainted; until it settled in Lyra's spinning mind that this was really happening - this was really _him_.

Eventually, Lyra found herself completely on top of him, her body molded perfectly against his, her fingers in his hair. The kisses never stopped coming and, apparently emboldened by the slide of her tongue against his, Lance trailed his hands down from her face to her neck, stroking her pulse under his fingers and eliciting a gasp from her.

And slowly, regretfully, it was Lance himself who pulled away first. "We should stop right here," he managed to say, though his voice was strained and his tongue clumsy around the words. "We're progressing too quickly... I'm not in any position to continue, and I don't want to scare you, either."

"Y-yeah," Lyra agreed unsteadily, all while her body strained against her mind to just to kiss him again.

As if unable to help himself, he leaned up and pressed a quick kiss right on the tip of her nose, laughing under his breath. "I didn't think you had it in you to assault a bedridden man. You're surprisingly perverted." The amused, aroused glint Lyra saw deep in his brown eyes spoke volumes of how much he approved of this, and she blushed.

She didn't think she was capable of that, either. In fact, Lyra had always dreamed that their first kiss would be initiated by_ Lance_, not her. She'd imagined him drawing her into his arms in his cozy private office at the League, or stealing one from her in a dark, lonely hallway at Battle Tower right before the final match. Or while standing in the pouring rain. Girly ideas worthy of all the chick-flicks she'd seen.

But Lyra just couldn't _wait_ anymore, and Lance's earlier heartfelt confession didn't help. She fell off the deep end, and ended up taking matters into her own hands. And even now she relished how _easy_ it was to lean down and kiss the hapless Dragon Tamer...

...

...What on earth was she thinking about just now?! It was almost as if _she_ were the sadist!

"Lyra, you'd better get off of me right this second or you'll regret it," Lance breathed earnestly.

"Eeek! Sorry!"

His whisper had effectively jarred her out of her embarrassing thoughts and she half leapt, half tumbled out of the bed at last.

"Err, well, I won't bother you any longer then! I'll just be heading out now to give Ethan a piece of my mind - but I'll be back!" She announced stiffly, still very mortified by her rather aggressive actions and thoughts. Unconsciously, she tried to readjust her clothes and hair. "So stay here and get better, okay?!"

"I plan to, don't you worry. We still have the rest of today to spend together, after all."

She was dimly aware that Lance's manner of speaking to her had changed significantly. Did she accidentally break him somehow? "And we still need to have a serious talk about setting up crazy challenges and how detrimental they are to my sanity, et cetera. Don't think I've forgotten it for a second!" she huffed, picking up her beloved hat (which had somehow gotten knocked off her head during their impromptu make-out session) off the floor.

His smile faded. "Lyra. I promised that I'd stay here and recuperate, so... promise me that you'll come back to me on your own free will after your talk with Ethan."

"Of course I'll be back, didn't I just tell you?"

Lance rose to a sitting position, his hospital gown rumpled and his hair slightly less spiky than usual. He reached out and gently grasped Lyra's chin, his thumb stroking her still-sensitive lips. A hard shudder raced through her from the action, and she sighed from the pleasant sensations.

"I'm nervous about what will happen between the two of you," he admitted softly. "I already knew you two were close friends, but ever since I met up with you at his house this morning... it was just one thing after another."

Lyra suddenly remembered what Whitney had told her - that Lance was out of his mind with jealousy over her. "H-hey, Lance, are you jealous? Because you don't need to be. Ethan is my best friend, and nothing more."

His gaze was unwavering, searching. "I wasn't talking about that. Well... I _am_ jealous of him, but... do you even know what you're saying right now?"

"I do!"

"No. No, you don't. And you kissed me out of impulse." He pressed his thumb over her lips to stop her from protesting. "As I've already told you, Lyra, I'd do anything to make you happy. You've made your feelings clear, and it makes me happy... so let me give you a chance to be happy, too."

The heck? Lyra wondered. Were they even on the same page here?

"What... what are you talking about all of a sudden? You sound as if you'll never see me again! Damn you Lance, stop talking in riddles, I already solved everything!"

"Just promise me that if you return, it's because you want to, and not because you feel obligated to."

"I-"

Lance looked ready to tell her something important. Lyra hesitated for the slightest second.

"-I promise."

"...Do you remember what I told you back at the abandoned laboratory? I told you that once I became the head of the Blackthorn dragon clan, there would be changes, and the clan would soon rise as the most powerful and influential in the world. But I didn't tell you how I'd become the next clan head, or what those changes were."

He pulled his hand away from her chin.

"Now, I'll tell you. In order to take the whole clan into my hands... Lyra, you are a pawn I need to achieve that."

* * *

Half an hour later, Lyra made it back to Tohjo Falls. But unlike before, she was completely alone this time.

Lance was recuperating, and Silver was MIA.

Well, maybe it was better this way - after all, she had a couple of things she wanted to say to Ethan that were very personal.

"He took the east entrance, didn't he?"

Ethan had claimed he was here in order to fulfill Professor Elm's request for flower samples. Lyra had tried contacting him by phone just in case he was already done, but he was "out of range", at least according to the standard system voice recording. So there was a good chance he was still here.

Waiting for her.

Lyra giggled and shook her head. Why would Ethan be waiting for her? If anything, he'd be trying to _get away_ from her, especially because she knew his role in this.

He was Lance's accomplice.

There wasn't much of a difference from the last time Lyra had been inside the caves. At least, as far as she could tell. "Helloooo?" Lyra called out into the cave from the entrance. Her voice echoed back four times over. Other than that, everything was quiet save for the sounds of the crashing waterfall and the whistling of a draft throughout the caverns. The boy was most likely too engrossed in his research to hear her. That was fine - it gave Lyra the element of surprise.

Lyra Surfed across the lake on Dragonair's back, climbed the naturally formed stone staircase and peeked inside Giovanni's old cavern.

There was no sign of her best friend.

"...Huh."

Making her way further inside, she noticed that there were only a few clusters of pale-white Glacier Lillies sprouting among the rocks and in the wall cracks. They were too small, and they weren't the right color, either. No way would Ethan get these pathetic things as samples.

So where was he?

_Maybe he's in the bigger chambers above this one?_ She wondered to herself. _But, that doesn't sound right, either. He would need a Pokemon that knows Rock Climb... and besides, Glacier Lillies don't grow up there. Wait - don't tell me he went to the past to get his samples...?! _Lyra turned around and started to leave, thinking she would need to head over to Ilex Forest, but she stopped. _Nahh, Celebi hasn't even shown up at the Ilex Forest shrine since that day. I think Ethan should still be hanging around Tohjo Falls... so I'd better go and check the higher- ehh?!_

There was a slight shaking sensation coming from inside her shoulder bag, startling her out of her thoughts. Thinking that a wild Pokemon had somehow slipped inside, she quickly set the bag down on the cave floor and yanked it open.

"Whoa!"

The white cardboard box she'd picked up from Ethan's bedroom was quivering wildly.

"Is this-?"

Lyra popped open the box and saw that the Black Box was indeed the cause. She hesitated, and then grasped it firmly in her palm. It vibrated against her skin, tickling her. But that was all - it was clearly reacting to _something_ in the room, but nothing happened. Did she need to activate the Black Box somehow?

"Noctowl!"

The intelligent Owl Pokemon materialized in front of her one second later with both wings proudly spread wide.

"Noctowl, use Foresight on the whole room!"

Hey, it worked the first time around; it didn't hurt to try it again, right?

A brilliant burst of red light shot out from Noctowl's eyes and the chamber quickly filled with crimson rays. Lyra frantically looked around for anything that stood out and chanced upon a tiny hole on the western wall. It looked like the perfect place to put the Black Box in. So she did...

"?!"

-It was almost as if the smooth stone had swallowed the Black Box whole. Before Lyra could react, a tall rectangular hole slowly faded into view right in front of her eyes. It shimmered like a mirage in the desert for a moment or two before finally "solidifying" and becoming a real part of the cavern wall. Like magic.

Lyra tentatvely reached out to touch it - and ended up touching nothing but air. Furthermore, it looked as if it actually led somewhere!

_Is this a real passageway? Or is it just an illusion?_

Keeping her faithful Noctowl close by, Lyra inched into the entranceway that literally appeared out of nowhere and crept down the path...

* * *

To her surprise, the end of the tunnel was coming up. Lyra jogged to the opening and peeked out-

Far below her, sitting at the base of a rock formation leading to the exit was the aspiring teenage Pokemon Researcher himself, surrounded by a rather large colony of healthy golden Glacier Lillies. He had a whole bunch of metal instruments and glass cases spread out for easy access at his feet, and he'd even taken off his hat. There was also the basket he'd been wearing on his back earlier, which was now sitting innocently a few feet away. Ethan himself did not seem to notice her; he was bent over his notebook, furiously writing something under the light of a large flashlight.

"Hey Ethan, there you are!" Lyra called out, sounding more relieved than she wanted. Seeing there was no apparent danger, she returned Noctowl to his Pokeball and began her slow, careful descent down to the ground.

The pen paused mid-sentence, and Ethan glanced up, craning his neck to see. When he spotted Lyra, a huge grin broke out across his face. "Lyra! How'd you get here?" He clambered to his feet, held out his hand and helped Lyra jump down from the final ledge, which was still pretty high up. "And take a look at this place - can you believe how plentiful the lillies are? And see how well they're growing down here, with no light and barely any water! It's incredible!"

"What I want to know is how you managed to find this place!" Lyra said pointedly. She scanned the new underground chamber with wonder - now that she was down here, standing next to Ethan, she was struck by the natural, strong beauty of the lillies. It was indeed incredible for the flowers to thrive in such a place... and was it her imagination, or were the lillies _glowing_? Nahh, it couldn't be.

"The research team has Lance's grandfather - the Blackthorn dragon clan Elder - to thank for the tip he gave us."

Lyra jerked her head around to look at Ethan, who stood next to her looking out over the flower field as well. "Lance's grandpa?!"

"Yup. And I suppose it's thanks to Lance that the Professor and I were granted audience in the first place. Can you believe there are more chambers with Glacier Lillies like this one all over Tohjo Falls? And they're all interconnected by little hidden passageways, like a maze. This phenomena was also observed in the Sinnoh region, in a place called Turnback Cave..."

As Ethan rambled on about Champion Cynthia and a trusted Trainer's findings, and his subsequent business trips, Lyra couldn't help but think how funny it was, how every little thing seemed to connect people to each other like this, a full circle.

"...And that snack bar was the best, I swear! The folks over at Ecruteak may be a little eccentric, but I wouldn't mind going back for those bacon-asparagus bites. Oh, and the mango pudding. And I can't forget those salted eggs, either - hey, that's right, why don't we try eating there together sometime? But no inviting Gym Leader Morty to come with! I've got nothing against him, but when he gets started on history he just won't stop! So, do we have a deal?"

"I'm in! But we'll go dutch, okay? Just because I earn around 10000P a day from doesn't mean you can stiff me with the bill!"

"Sure, dutch is fine!" Ethan pumped a fist in the air in excitement. "It'll be just you and me, and the asparagus! Yeah!"

Lyra giggled. "So, Professor Ethan, have you been cooped up down here with the flowers this whole time?"

"Yeah, I have! And it isn't so bad. Unlike Pokemon, the flowers aren't going anywhere so I don't have to worry about them escaping while I'm experimenting... oh wait, I just remembered-" He began leafing through his notebook at a lightning fast pace. "I've got something awesome to show you. Seriously. You won't believe-"

She gently touched the back of Ethan's hand, stopping him.

It was time to end this farce.

"I found you."

He blinked at her, not understanding. "Uh, yeah, you did...?"

Lyra shook her head slowly. "Ethan... you wanted me to find you, didn't you? I'm not talking about you being Lance's accomplice, I'm talking about the riddles. The riddles were different each time, but the first two words were always the same: _'Find me'_. That's what you were trying to get across. And I already told you, didn't I? Again, do I need to remind you how I always found you whenever we played together?" She stepped forward and slung her arms around the male teen's neck in a gentle embrace. "Here I am, Ethan. I solved the mystery. _Your_ mystery. I found you."

_'Find me'._

Lyra wasn't talking about Ethan's role in Lance's crazy Valentine's Day plan. She also knew that he had expected her to figure out the basic details.

_"I'll be hiding where you'll never even think to look!"_

That was what Ethan said to her as he taunted her over the phone earlier that morning.

And he'd nearly succeeded, too.

But Lyra managed to get back in the groove of solving mysteries just in time, and lived up to her words.

_"I'm the champion of hide and seek!"_

Ethan, the ghost-mastermind behind the _second_ mystery - which was well hidden by the veil of neuron-burning riddles and romantic adventure - was beaten.

Game and match, Lyra.

_I found you._

"Lyra-" Ethan rasped out her name. The notebook was dropped to the floor, and he threw his arms around her waist, returning the hug with all his might. "For a while, I thought you wouldn't be able to - but I waited. I waited here for you. I prayed, with all of my heart - and you did it. _You did it_. Lyra, you came through for me. You really-"

"And I found you, Ethan," Lyra murmured into his shoulder once again. "You were pretty good - but I found you."

"Ha... hahahahaha, darn it Lyra. I feel so - so _strange_ right now. This was the greatest mystery I'd _ever_ made, and you solved it within six hours. It makes me sad and disappointed," Ethan babbled. "But I'd be even _more_ disappointed if you couldn't figure it out. Is there a word for that feeling? And, out of curiosity, what was it that tipped you off in the first place? I thought my secret message worked well within Lance's Valentine's gift pretty seamlessly."

"It was the power outage at the Golden Coliseum that got me thinking. Not right away, no... but when I determined Lance to be the culprit behind the whole thing, it bugged me how he would involve innocent people just to lead me to the next riddle. It didn't seem like him. Or rather, like the man he was trying to be. I asked myself, _'why would Lance jeopardize his own public image like that, after everything he'd worked for?'. _After thinking over some other stuff, like how he had no idea what _Horizon Ten-Four _or what _Boyce Avenue_ was, I considered the idea of a second culprit, whose plans overlapped with Lance's. Everything worked itself out pretty easily after that."

Ethan slowly and reluctantly loosened his arms, but he did not release Lyra. Instead, he stared deeply into her eyes.

"I don't want to lose you."

"You aren't going to lose me."

"It feels like I am."

For the briefest of moments, they weren't Champion Lyra and Pokemon Research Assistant Ethan. Standing among the countless formidable Glacier Lillies that persevered and bloomed even in the worst conditions, the pair had gone back to being just Lyra and Ethan. Ethan and Lyra.

"Did Lance already tell you everything you needed to know?"

"Why do you know? And what exactly _do_ you know?" Lyra frowned, annoyed that Ethan had already been told.

He shrugged. "It's what happens when you become somebody's accomplice - you learn things. So? Did he tell you?"

"Not everything... but he told me enough."

* * *

_About half an hour ago, back at the Pokemon Center._

_"...Do you remember what I told you back at the abandoned laboratory? I told you that once I became the head of the Blackthorn dragon clan, there would be changes, and the clan would soon rise as the most powerful and influential in the world. But I didn't tell you how I'd become the next clan head, or what those changes were."_

_He pulled his hand away from her chin._

_"Now, I'll tell you. In order to take the whole clan into my hands... Lyra, you are a pawn I need to achieve that."_

_Lyra didn't feel shocked or anything, even though Lance was shoving the bare truth about the nature of their first meeting and the basis of their subsequent friendship._

_"For the longest time, the Blackthorn dragon clan had shunned outsiders in favor of blood-relatives. It is their belief that only those born into the clan had the ability to tame and befriend dragons, and as a result, the clan stagnated. When I first saw you at the Lake of Rage, you were locked in a battle with a rampaging Gyarados. You, the weakest Trainer that I had ever seen, a nameless figure drawn from the masses... when you managed to soothe the Gyarados and capture it, I felt that you were the one I'd been waiting for: the living proof of the potential of mankind."_

_"So you asked me to help you flush out Team Rocket from Mahogany Town because... you wanted to study me?"_

_"Yes."_

_"And us battling Ariana together was all a part of your plan?"_

_"Speaking with you and working alongside you was a real pleasure, make no mistake. But I also wanted to see your battling style up close. I had to be absolutely sure about you before I tried anything. And I wanted you to like me."_

_Bit by bit, Lyra could feel her memories of that heroic, dashing man she first met crumbling away at the corners. The image was still there, but it was now shadowed over slightly with intrigue._

_"Ex-champion Red was the very first Trainer outside the clan to prove them wrong - it was only reinforced when he defeated me. I was excited; at long last, the waiting game I played was paying off. He refused my offer to become a Blackthorn Dragon Tamer of course, but it didn't matter. That small-town boy had paved the way for other incredible Trainers to emerge and follow suit. And then... three years after that, you appeared. You took down a criminal organization, passed the Dragon User's challenge and soon you'll be the region's Champion. Your soul has been tempered by crisis and conflict, and as a result you've become the woman you are now. The woman I wish to marry."_

_She valiantly kept her giddy feelings of 'marriage' at bay and forced herself to concentrate on what he was saying. "You're not talking about my status as Champion making things easier on your clan, are you?"_

_"Of course I am - all the good things associated with you would greatly sway the clan's political influence in both regions and beyond. But the most important part is that, if I marry you, it gives the clan a chance to change their perceptions, even if only slightly, and would become more open to outsiders. And I have little doubt in my mind my grandfather and the council would approve of you as my wife."_

_A political marriage. A stepping stone._

_It was the kind of thing Lyra would expect from a TV drama, not in real life. And she didn't think she had any idea what he was talking about - things like 'clan tradition' and 'family honor' were foreign concepts to her. She was just a girl from New Bark Town! Geezus, he was talking about marriage, and she was just 19 years old!_

_"I apologize if I'm pushing too much information on you Lyra, it's just that I've always been someone who could make quick decisions. I decided when I was starting out as a rookie trainer that I would work towards claiming headship of my clan, and not once did I ever stray from that path. The same goes for when I decided that you were the one I wanted as my wife."_

_"But... why me, though?" Lyra asked him at last. "There are countless talented female trainers out there you could marry! The world is a huge place. If you kept looking, you could probably find someone who's an even better fit for the role than me. Not just as your wife... but as the symbol of change or whatever it is you mean." The thought of him taking some other girl made her heart twinge; nevertheless it was a valid question. "Like maybe... I dunno, Champion Cynthia from Sinnoh? She trains a couple of dragon-types too, doesn't she?"_

_Lance reached out and grasped her hands with his much larger ones._

_"Lyra, you've done something I never expected you to accomplish: you changed me."_

_"Eh?"_

_"...I want to bring about change within my clan, but I was too stubborn to see what I'd been missing. But you make the hopeless, hopeful. You changed me, Lyra. You're amazing. That's why I have very little doubt in my mind that you're-"_

_Lance abruptly stopped talking, as if he were unable to say anything more. He looked more than a little lost._

_Lyra tightened her own grip on his hands when she felt them tremble. He had literally just told her more than he'd ever dared to say to her these past few years she'd known him... and maybe to anyone, ever. He had put a part of the puzzle together for her. If she wanted to know more, that was her problem; she would have to wait for another chance to talk. Now was not the time._

* * *

"I see. So he told you that much." Ethan released Lyra from his arms and shoved his hands deep into his pockets. "Politics is a whole different ballgame, Ly. It's a world where nothing is for certain, and everything is permitted. In a mystery novel, the detective puts together all the evidence and discovers the truth. But when it comes to local or international affairs there might never be anything as straightforward. And I don't want to lose you to that world."

Lyra bit her lip. "It won't be long before I'll be officially sworn in as the Champion. Agreeing to marry Lance or not... Either way, I would be involved in these things even if I didn't want to."

"That's why I didn't want you to take up competitive battling! I knew you had what it took to get to the top, and I... I'm a real selfish douche, aren't I?"

"You were always kind of one, it doesn't surprise me at all. I mean, you didn't even come to congratulate me when I first defeated Lance in an official battle. _None_ of the people I counted on were there - not just you, but mom, and Professor Elm, too... It was _Professor Oak_ who came to see me, of all people. And Mary, his co-host on Pokemon Talk. I didn't even know her personally! But Lance was there, too, and it kind of made me feel better about everything."

"So that's why you're willing to go to him?" Ethan asked. "I don't blame you. I can't speak for your mom, or the Professor, but I really... I really let you down. You'd seized everything you ever wanted in one moment, and where was I? On Mt. Moon. Some best friend I am. I'd be disappointed if I were in your shoes... but you still talked to me and hung out with me like usual. You never said anything."

"That's not the reason, far from it. But weren't you in the middle of securing another internship at Professor Elm's lab? You know, during that time he was letting some of his assistants go? You apologized and explained it to me afterwards, remember?" Lyra leaned forward and nudged him with her elbow. "C'mon, this isn't like you, Ethan. A hero of justice never beats around the bush. What's on your mind?"

When he didn't reply, Lyra tried a different tack. "Okay, then can I ask you _why_ you hijacked Lance's Valentine's Day gift for your own agendas?"

He took a deep, shaky breath. "It's... kind of a long story. But I guess I _do_ owe you an explanation, at the very least."

"I've got time. Do you?"

He grinned awkwardly at her. "If you can bear with it, then I can make time."

"Okay. -Wait a minute, won't Professor Elm get mad at you? When is he expecting those flower samples?"

"After lunch, at the most."

Lyra checked the time. "It's nearly 10:30am."

Ethan nodded. "That's fine."

"So..."

"First, I want to make this clear: I never meant to do this in the first place. It wasn't my fault. But I most certainly seized the opportunity when it was presented to me - the opportunity to show off to Lance just how close you and I were. I wanted him to squirm. I hated how he had you right in the palm of his hand - I wanted to let him know that I had my eye on him, and if he did anything to hurt you, I wouldn't forgive him. Anyways, it wasn't my fault. But don't worry - I definitely sent you those messages." He sighed and chuckled. "I guess the beginning is a good place to start as any. Lance asked me to help him last November."

"Last November?!" Lyra gasped. "You've been plotting this for months?!"

"Of course. Setting the groundwork for something of this magnitude isn't as easy as it seems." There was pride in his voice.

* * *

_November._

_Lance had approached Ethan out of the blue one day to ask the teen for help. The Dragon Master had wanted to give Lyra a special gift._

_Ethan hardly ever spoke to the man and, while he'd heard a lot of anecdotes from Lyra, was still kind of wary of him. But he was very receptive to the concept that Lance had presented to him:_

_"The kind of gift that no other woman in the whole world but Lyra could truly appreciate."_

_Candy, flowers, trinkets... Lance did not consider himself a romantic, but he'd felt that these things were too cheap compared to how deep his feelings for her were. Besides, he occasionally gave Lyra those things already, and though she was always ecstatic to receive them, the novelty would soon wear off over time._

_Ethan, a romantic and damn proud of it, had agreed that candy and flowers were getting old._

_"So what do you need my help for? It sounds as if you have it all figured out already."_

_"I would like to ask your help to create a challenge for her to overcome." Lance crossed his arms. "She told me how you like detective fiction, and how you two went on adventures together. You know her well. So I thought you were the best person to ask."_

_Ethan felt his face go warm from embarrassment, and he hid his face. Great, Lance the Dragon Master knew about that stuff? Just how much did Lyra tell him about their past together? "You're asking me to write a riddle for her to solve?" He managed to say._

_"That's too simple. I'm thinking more along the lines of a real adventure. Multiple riddles strewn about in different locations and Lyra needing to find clues, needing to solve one riddle to get to the next in order to follow the predetermined path, et cetera."_

_Ethan stared off into the distance, seriously contemplating the proposition._

_...If it were anyone else talking to him, Ethan would think the man to be crazy for coming up with something like this. There were just so many factors to consider... and what sane person would even consider an orchestrated adventure to be the perfect gift to the girl you loved?_

_But the man in question was Champion Lance. A man who never did things half-heartedly, it was either all or nothing. He also had the power, the influence, and - Ethan was reluctant to admit this - the heart to pull this off._

_And Lance had obviously put some real thought into this - indeed, Ethan could not think of any girl but Lyra enjoying this kind of 'gift'._

_The more he pondered, the more and more he liked the sound of it._

_"I'm interested."_

_He accepted the proposition - for the crazy challenge, and for Lyra._

* * *

"Do I regret agreeing to help him? I'm... not sure." Ethan wasn't looking at Lyra. He was staring off at some unseen thing in the distance, contemplating. "Lance wasn't easy to work with. It was as if there were two men inside him. And to be honest, I didn't like it. Not only that..."

"...What is it?"

"He had moments where he just went too far," Ethan said darkly. "And I just couldn't let them slide. But I was also thinking of you, Lyra - so I tried talking to him first."

* * *

_December._

_"This isn't the place to discuss this sort of thing. Could we talk inside?"_

_Ethan shook his head slowly. "No, I'd rather talk here. ...Lyra's inside."_

_The wind was blowing, the snow was lightly falling and the night was chilly. The Christmas gala was in full swing in the ballroom, with short bursts of laughter and voices sometimes drifting in and out of the huge glass double doors... but the two men were having a rather serious discussion on the balcony, and they were far removed from the holiday cheer._

_"Lance, I know this isn't any of my business but... I would appreciate it if you wouldn't act in ways that hurt her."_

_Lance stood completely still. "...What do you mean by that?"_

_"Please don't play dumb with me. I have eyes and ears, and I use them. I am fully aware of what's happening. I saw you, Lance, with another woman hanging off your arm."_

_"And when was this?"_

_"...Two weeks ago. I remember it because on that day, I was with Lyra and Silver, and we were on our way to Goldenrod City. They were signing up for the Battle Tower tournament."_

_To the teen's horror, Lance merely smiled bitterly at this. "So, you saw. What of it?"_

_Ethan's jaw clenched. "I knew it. I knew my eyes didn't deceive me. I was ready to prostrate myself on the spot as an apology if I was wrong."_

_"..."_

_"I promised that I'd help you with that gift of yours. But you need to help yourself, too, Lance. It's not as if Lyra's your girlfriend or anything... and you probably don't care for all those women you escort, or all those functions you attend, but that doesn't make it any better! It's still breaking her heart to see you act that way!"_

_"Have you told her?"_

_Lance's question was so abrupt, it took Ethan a moment to realize that he was asking if he'd told Lyra about two weeks ago._

_"I haven't told her yet, and I'm not going to."_

_"Why not?"_

_"Because I don't want to see her hurt."_

_"...Then why did you call me out here?"_

_"Stop forcing yourself to accept positions that ruin your chances at redemption, and... take Lyra into your arms and tell her that she's the most important thing in the world to you."_

_"It isn't that simple."_

_"...!"_

_"And if you're so worried about it, why don't **you** do it?" Lance sneered, shocking Ethan. This was the first time he'd ever shown this face to the teen. Was it born out of jealousy? Out of anger? Ethan would never know. "If you're so worried about her, why haven't you done anything about it yet?"_

_"You-!"_

_Ethan instinctively raised his clenched fist-_

_**WHACK!**_

_-and hit the wall next to him._

_"...She's happier nowadays. The happiest that I'd ever seen these past twelve years I've known her. And it's all thanks to you, Lance. Even when she got depressed over you, she never spoke an ill word about you to anyone. She really cares about you!"_

_"..."_

_"Don't trample her feelings under your feet! Please! I'm begging you!"_

_Ethan did not beg, ever._

_But he was begging now._

_Unable to continue the conversation due to the awkward atmosphere, Ethan bowed his head once and quickly dashed back inside the ballroom without looking back._

_Lyra's happiness meant that much to him... he was praying that Lance felt the same way._

* * *

Lyra scrunched her eyes at the mention of the gala. The version Ethan had just told her conveniently left out any mention of the other unnamed woman, and the fact that Ethan had begged Lance on Lyra's behalf. "Wait, that's what you were talking to Lance about on the balcony? The Valentine's Day plan?"

"Uhh... yeah. Pretty much."

"Geez, you two really had me worried, you know?" She complained, playfully punching his arm. "It was a Christmas party, and there you guys were, standing around in the mini-blizzard all serious-like, while the rest of us had fun and got drunk. What was I supposed to think?"

Ethan's smile was both sheepish and proud. "Afterwards, I was just... pissed out of my mind. Really pissed. I wasn't going to let anybody push you around, not while I was involved. So I decided to give him what he was asking for."

"Which was...?"

His smile turned slightly malicious. "I gave him "competition". I came up with a second batch of riddles that were completely different from the ones I'd shown him, and I made some extra under-the-table deals here and there. Lance had given me free reign with his money, so you bet I used it. It was... liberating, to say the least, to use his resources against him and make him jealous."

"Whose idea was it to hold this little make-believe quest on Valentine's Day?"

"Mine. I made up some stuff about how 'symbolic' it would be if it were your Valentine's Day gift, mainly to buy more time to lay the groundwork for my own plans. Suffice to say, what I 'planned' with Lance was radically different from what I cooked up on my own, and when the time finally came..." he paused, unable to keep his triumphant laughter in. "I had the pleasure of seeing Lance the Dragon Tamer act worried, heh. And you know what's the best part? I never breached our contract, so he couldn't act against me, even if he wanted to."

"Contract?" Lyra's brows furrowed. Lance had said something similar earlier...

"Yeah. A 'deal', to be more exact. The terms were simple: Lance could travel around with you and help you solve the riddles as long as it was you who ultimately solved them in the end. The 'original plan' was to tell you outright that it was a setup so you could relax and solve the riddles at your own pace. Lance would be your help, and I'd be the gamemaster who oversaw the game. But I changed that. And it shook him to the core. Meh, he most likely figured it out on his own after the radio broadcast, though."

Ethan abruptly broke off and looked at Lyra apologetically. "I regret scaring you this morning, make no mistake. But it was the only surefire way to capture your full attention. Ultimately, I wanted you to understand that there was something else going on. I wanted Lance to come clean. And it worked like a charm..."

Lyra's eyes widened as she absorbed everything he'd told her.

Ethan used their close relationship to threaten Lance into revealing a part of his hand to Lyra. He'd taken liberties with Lance's vast influence, used countless people as tools, and straight-up lied to her face this morning, all to accomplish his own agendas...

"Why, Ethan?"

"..."

"You said a lot, but you still haven't answered my question yet. Why did you do this, Ethan?"

"I thought I'd already made it clear, but okay. I'll spell it out for you, Lyra."

The very cavern seemed to darken at his ominous-sounding words.

"I did it for you. For your happiness."

Lyra was struck with a sudden sense of deja vu. Earlier, Lance had told her the exact same thing, hadn't he?

But the male wasn't finished speaking yet. "That bastard Lance... was planning on _rejecting_ your feelings once and for all when the riddle-challenge was all over, you know? Out of the 'love in his heart', or what have you."

Ethan's words hit her like a facefull of mud. "Wh- what are you-?! Reject me?!" She sputtered.

"Yeah. This Valentine's Day gift of his was in actuality a farewell present to you, Ly." Ethan paused, finally noticing how hard Lyra was shaking. "...So I take it that he didn't tell you _everything_ after all, eh? The slick bastard. But don't you worry, after my little meddling he wouldn't dare let you go..."

"But... b-but he said that he was investing in our future..." Lyra just couldn't believe what she was hearing anymore. Nothing was making any real sense at this point. And she didn't want to deal with this anymore. She just wanted to close her eyes and hide. It was just too incredible.

Ethan still spoke, airing his confession loud and clear: "That was only part of the truth, Lyra. That guy was going to 'give you up' because he wanted you to find happiness with another man and stupid shit like that. I couldn't let him do that, I couldn't. As much as it pains me to admit, nobody can make you happy like he can. It drives me nuts, but I couldn't just stand silent and watch him break your heart. Even if it means losing you to him forever. Even if it means I'd be alone again-"

Lyra took one step forward and embraced Ethan with all her might, unable to hold back her tears anymore. Ethan did not resist, and he patted her back comfortingly.

The girl was just too overwhelmed by these boys, and the lengths they'd both gone just for... her.

Lance... and now, Ethan...

"Lyra, I-"

"YOU DUMBASS!"

Lyra, still holding Ethan, attempted to lift him on her shoulder in true homage to the wrestling superstar Crasher Wake.

"?!"

Of course, because Ethan was heavy despite his lanky appearance Lyra could only go so far. So she switched tactics and shoved the full weight of her body against her best friend's stomach area instead, and they both toppled to the hard stone floor. "You! And Lance!" Lyra shouted, tears still streaming down her face, and her voice echoing throughout the chamber and beyond. She grabbed Ethan by the collar of his jacket and crumpled the material with all the reighteous indignation she felt. "Why are you two so _stupid_?! All boys are stupid, with their stupid egos and their stupid codes!"

"Oi, Lyra! I know you're frustrated, but that doesn't mean you can take it out on all men everywhere!" Ethan protested. "And what's so wrong with what I did?! You got another chance with Lance in the end, didn't you?!"

"Stop choosing what's best for me without talking it over with me about it first! It's rude, inconsiderate and besides - _it's my own damn life_! This is the modern age and I'm nineteen years old! I can make my own damned decisions about my love life!" She felt him stir beneath her and she pushed all her weight down. "Oh no you _don't_! I'm still talking, so you better listen up! Seriously, what's wrong with you two?! Why are the most important men in my life making everything so bloody complicated for me?! I can't stand all this drama!"

"Lyra, if I didn't intervene-"

Lyra leaned down and connected her forehead with Ethan's in a painful headbutt.

"-OWW!"

"I told you, don't interrupt me! And you already told me that!" Lyra swiped away her embarrassed tears with her shirt sleeve and took a deep breath. One minute later, in a much calmer, much softer voice she said, "I'll tell you what I told Lance before I left him at the Pokemon Center - I appreciate everything you've done for me, Ethan. And while you have some real messed up ways of showing it, I can see just how much you care about me, and it makes me happy. You're the best friend I could ever ask for. Don't get me wrong, okay? I'm honestly touched you went this far for me. Really. But that doesn't mean I want you to do it again in the future. I'm okay with talking this stuff over. Like what normal people do, you know?"

Ethan gingerly rubbed at his forehead. He was still reeling slightly from the incredible impact. "...Man, you're so belligerent."

"I'm trying my best not to, but it's a tall order when you have to deal with not one, but _two_ boneheads who need every message pounded into their brains! Geez!"

"I have no regrets. Even if the circumstances were different, I'd still do this for you, Lyra."

"No regrets? What about... Silver?"

Silver.

In a way, the redheaded teen was the true victim of both 'crimes' committed. Silver had nothing to do with the plots - he only got caught up in it because of a series of unfortunate events that led him to Lyra in the first place. She was partly to blame, as well. Lyra shouldn't have asked Silver to take part in the investigation-

"Wait a minute, did you bring Silver into your plans on purpose?" Lyra demanded, incredulous. "Silver told me he'd lost his portable radio on the same day he was watching a tennis match... and some time after that, I remember him mentioning that he'd never forgive you for losing his radio. Did you invite him to see the tennis match at the Golden Coliseum just to...?"

She stopped, because the look on Ethan's face was reminiscent of the old days, of the time when she wasn't friends with him yet.

Cold, indifferent...

Lyra covered her mouth with both hands.

In her mind's eye, she remembered how ferociously Silver had attacked Lance next to the river.

He was so quick to pin the blame on Lance...

Why?

Because he couldn't accept the truth.

He couldn't accept that Ethan, his friend, had played a significant hand in this charade.

Silver, betrayed by his father as a child, had struggled against his own fears and insecurities to reach out to others and form lasting relationships, trying to find happiness. It had taken him several years but he'd made really good progress when it came to trusting others.

Silver was intelligent in his own right. Lyra was correct in assuming that the redhead had already put two and two together on his own just from listening to her explanations. But... in the face of all the circumstantial evidence, Silver had turned his eyes away from the truth because he wanted to believe in Ethan. That level of devotion touched her. And then Ethan-

"...Oh my god... Ethan, weren't you two good friends? Or at least, weren't you two getting to that point already?!" Lyra smacked Ethan's chest. "How could you, Ethan?! You have to go apologize to him! The sooner you go, the better chance you have at patching things up with him!"

-Ethan had taken it one step farther. Lyra didn't know if Silver figured out that Ethan had his own plot, but hypocritically, she was praying that he hadn't. At least, not yet. The best she could hope would be Silver hearing the truth directly from Ethan's mouth.

Truth, or happiness?

Lyra believed that one could have both.

But in Silver's case, if he ever found out just how much Ethan had used him... she wasn't sure what would happen.

"Lyra, before you jump to conclusions let me say this: you aren't to blame. It was all me."

"He didn't deserve to be treated this way," she insisted. "Ethan, you have to talk to him."

He didn't reply; he'd casually slung his arm over his eyes, and Lyra couldn't tell what he was thinking or feeling. So she slowly climbed to her feet and dusted herself off.

"Ethan, I'm heading back out, okay? I'm going to see how Lance is doing."

"..."

"...I'm still happy that you did so much about me. But... talk to Silver, okay? And in the meantime, I'll be holding you to that promise we made to hang out at Ecruteak City."

* * *

Spotting a package on the table next to Lance's bed the second she entered the private ward, Lyra asked, "What's that? A get-well gift?"

She'd just arrived at the Cherrygrove Pokemon Center, and all throughout the trip her mind had been whirling with all the stuff she found out from Ethan. Frankly, she would welcome any kind of distraction, no matter how small.

Lance was currently sitting up in bed, looking much better than when Lyra left him an hour ago. He was relaxing under a couple of extra blankets, and he even had a warm drink next to the package. The Dragon Tamer had been checking his Pokegear for damages, but at the sound of Lyra's voice he put it down and smiled at her. "...Welcome back, that was quicker that I thought. As for the gift, would you believe me if I told you that it's from Silver?"

"Silver gave you a get-well gift?! When?!"

"About twenty minutes after you left. Technically, he didn't_ give_ it to me, it was more like he threw it at my head. The cookies crumbled slightly, but they were still pretty good."

"Cookies?"

Lyra picked up the tupperware and pulled off the blue plastic lid. "Ohhh! Chocolate chip cookies, my favorite! ...Wait a minute, chocolate? From Silver? On Valentine's Day...?"

"Are you jealous?" Lance asked hopefully.

"You're kidding, right? Why would I waste time being jealous when I can just-"

Lyra popped a cookie piece into her mouth, chewed and swallowed with a satisfying smack.

"-take one for myself?"

"That's not what I meant... ahh, well."

When the conversation lulled, Lyra set the package back down and sat on the edge of Lance's bed.

"So when will you be discharged?"

"In three hours," Lance replied, grimacing. "I don't want to make you wait, so you can go ahead and eat lunch if you want."

"I can wait. I had a pretty late breakfast, and it was heavy, too. Besides, I've got these! There's no way I'll be hungry!" Lyra rattled the container of cookies with a grin. Nope, she wasn't planning on giving them back to him. No one and nothing got in between Lyra and her chocolate chip cookies. "But before I dig in..."

She leaned sideways towards Lance and gave his lips a quick peck.

"!"

"Hee hee, couples on TV always do that. I've always wanted to try that out, myself."

"...You did it again," Lance murmured, amazed by her boldness. His hand found its way to the small of Lyra's back, and she trembled from the unexpected touch. "Furthermore, I warned you not to come back unless it was of your own free will."

He moved closer, tilting his head so that his lips were but a scant few centimeters away from hers. "This is your last chance. You can tell me 'no', and I will let you go. The tupperware you're holding right now is pretty sturdy and can be used to beat me off, or if you'd prefer to smash me over my head with my Pokegear, which is right next to your hip, that works too. Words or weapons - choose quickly. You have three seconds."

In light of what Ethan had revealed to her - how Lance had originally been planning to leave her for good - Lyra didn't waste a single second. She eagerly pressed her own lips to his.

* * *

**FULL CIRCLE**

**END**

* * *

**FINAL CHARACTER PROFILES:**

.

Lyra  
The protagonist. Lyra's quite easygoing, and tends to let people lead her off in different directions or get her to do things for them, but despite this she always manages to come out on top. She has been reminiscing about her past adventures with Lance all throughout the morning. Ever since Lyra was a kid, she would engage in intense yet friendly competition with Ethan, and her sense for logical thinking is slowly and surely returning.

The game ended at 11:06am, with Lyra winning over both Lance and Ethan. She also managed to figure out the answer to all of the mysteries except for one - "who rang the doorbell that morning"? This is probably the most important part of the mystery, as everything was set in motion the exact moment Lyra answered the door and found the first _'Find me'_ card. Ethan however claims innocence (he was right next to her when it happened), and Lance does as well (he was at Battle Tower).

She and Lance have finally become a couple. There are still a great number of things she needs to hear about Lance's goals, but as of the moment she is simply enjoying their newfound, publicized romance.

The Glacier Lillies that Ethan had shown her at Tohjo Falls had intrigued her somewhat. But after a couple of failed pseudo-experiments, the girl decided to visit Blackthorn City to request an audience with the dragon clan Elder, Lance's grandfather, himself.

.

Ethan  
Lyra's best friend of twelve years. His greatest weakness is cleaning his bedroom, which turned out to be the one piece of evidence that ultimately confirmed his role in the anonymous chain-mail. He told Lyra that he didn't trust Lance, and encouraged her to ask help from an additional person so she would end up asking Silver, his (unaware) accomplice for help, all to accomplish his own hidden agendas.

Surprisingly an introvert, though much more outgoing and friendly to peers and strangers alike compared to his younger years. He also got along with Silver amazingly well, perhaps it's because they're both intellectuals? He has known Lyra since they were kids, and her friendship means a lot to him. Other people? Not as much. This indifference was strongly alluded to by his willingness to endanger an entire colloseum of people, and also by his manipulation of Silver.

Lately, he and Lance seem to be on really good terms, to Lyra's relief.

.

Lance  
The object of Lyra's affections, and said affections are mutual. He is a cunning sadist with good publicity, successfully restraining his darker whims through sheer force of will and self-discipline, all to become the worthy clan heir he needs to be. only appearing (slightly) during Pokemon battles or while dealing with other clan members. It seems that he is determined more than ever to quash this facet of his personality, however.

He goes to great lengths just to ensure his own future in the clan, even drawing Lyra into his plots - but because of his growing feelings for her, he could not find it in himself to push through with his schemes and was prepared to let her go for good. Lyra, armed with the knowledge Ethan had given her, confronted him about the truth behind his Valentine's Day gift and he confessed.

He and Silver aren't so different deep down, in that he is willing to go great lengths to reach his goals which is why he is constantly at odds with the teenage thug. Asked Silver to join their quest for Lyra's sake, but also admitted that he'd rather not have the boy tag along if it were up to him. He also somewhat pities the boy for becoming Ethan's pawn.

Lately, he and Ethan seem to be on really good terms, to Lyra's relief. He was also forced to host the Lovapalooza as compensation for the trouble he caused at the Golden Coliseum.

.

Silver  
Lyra's bitter rival turned token cynical friend. He suspected Morty of being the secret sender at first, but was brutally proven wrong thanks to Lyra's deductions. In defiance against the truth, he took his despair out on Lance. Silver isn't aware of Lance's deceitful side yet; he just thinks of the older man as some stuck-up white knight-wannabe. He now also thinks of Lance as a craddle-robber when he heard the announcement of their status as a couple.

Surprisingly, he's also well-read: just how many "ordinary" people have the entire periodic table of elements memorized like he has? His brash way of speaking noticeably fades away when he's explaining or rationalizing things. It was this trait that Ethan took notice of and utilized, thus forever marring their friendship. Silver appeared in front of Lyra only once more, to exchange a few words before vanishing...

.

Whitney  
The bubbly Goldenrod City Gym Leader, and Lyra's friend. Is constantly astounded by both Lyra's and Lance's slightly sociopathic views on love. What was she arguing about with Morty in the employee parking lot so early in the morning? Lyra had finally drummed up enough courage to ask, but the older girl had simply waved it off. Suspicious...

She is greatly upset that Lyra did not use the handcuffs at all. Her displeasure only increased when she found out that Lyra had actually lent those handcuffs to someone else...

.

Morty  
Ecruteak City's Gym Leader. Was last seen getting challenged by Silver to a Pokemon battle. Only he truly understands the pain Silver is going through, thanks to his supernatural abilities... but the redhead would have none of his advice. What did he see?

* * *

**NEXT: **?

* * *

**Fic Updates:**

ver. 1.0 - Uploaded the first chapter! (2/16/14)  
ver. 2.1 - Fixed spelling and grammar mistakes in the first chapter; uploaded the second chapter! (2/21/14)  
ver. 2.3 - Fixed spelling and grammar mistakes, and extended some scenes in the second chapter! (2/22/14)  
ver. 3.4 - Uploaded the third chapter, fixed typos in the same chapter! (3/1/14)  
ver. 3.5 - Fixed an embarrassing typo in the second chapter! (3/5/14)  
ver. 4.8 - Uploaded the fourth chapter, fixed typos in the same chapter, edited some scenes for better flow in the third chapter! (3/17/14)  
ver. 4.9 - Fixed spelling and grammar mistakes in the fourth chapter! (3/18/14)  
ver. 6.1 - Uploaded the fifth chapter, fixed typos in the same chapter! (4/1/14)


	6. CREDITS and EXTRAS

**_BONUS_**

**_(_**_The following information is mostly for poking fun at my own fanfic, sharing trivia, answering questions, crediting those who are due, and general posterity purposes.__  
No need to read this part if you aren't interested in the development of the story or behind-the-scenes shenanigans.__  
_**_You can just skip ahead to the "Another POV" and "?/?/?/?" sections for the additional side stories and a lead-in to the sequel.)_**

* * *

**CREDITS:**

**DIAForce** - thanks for giving me the challenge in the first place, helping me flesh out the concept and even outlined some cool stuff I could do.

**Hersheys** - thanks for helping me look over my grammar, spelling and all around general editing.

**AquilaTempestas** - a special mention to you for indirectly instilling in me the desire to write some happy LancexLyra, rescuing this story from becoming yet another tragedy... if only barely.

**Boyce Avenue** - is the indie band that produced the song "Find Me". All of the chapter subtitles are lyrics taken from the song as well.

**My reviewers** - thanks for participating while the magic of the mystery lasted! I hope to see you guys in the sequel!

**The ghost readers** - I know you're out there. Seriously, I've reached nearly 1600 views and only got... about 19 reviews as of writing this? But nevertheless, I'm thankful you've taken the time to read my attempt at a Pokemon mystery. I also hope you will join me in the sequel, too!

* * *

**A LITTLE Q&A:**

Dear **pokefan**,

your latest review had a lot of things I feel that I should clarify, and because you asked nicely (and I can't reply to you via PM) I've decided to do it right here(that way other people can find out, too)!

1. I fully intended to create some confusion among the readers in some parts of the final chapter. The thing is, Lyra herself is confused. I also wanted the readers to _think _rationally about why Lance went hot and then ice cold on Lyra all of a sudden. The chapter ends rather abruptly because it was a good place to stop the story. So the final character profiles served as the pseudo-epilogue to make readers go, "Oh, so _that's_ why!" (the reasons why the story ended this way can be found under the "story/plot notes" in this chapter).

Actually pokefan, you seem to be the only one who actually got confused like how I wanted. My friends IRL who've read my drafts didn't point out anything strange about the vagueness, and it made me feel like a failure. Sooo... my attempt wasn't a complete failure after all(?).

2. The "mystery" between Morty and Whitney's interactions is a small stand-alone story that happens around the same time as the events of SPINNING, but is connected in a way. In fact, there was also a _third_ "mystery" happening in the background as well - between Ethan and Silver. There are, after all, other people in the world besides Lyra and Lance, with their own dramas and challenges to overcome. Hence the story's secondary theme about a "spiral". All three separate storylines will come together to a single point eventually in the sequel.

3. pokefan, you said _"It seemed a little out of character that Ethan would use Silver like that…"_ This doesn't seem like constructive criticism to me, maybe it's your wording? But I'll just remind you once again that SPINNING was told from Lyra's perspective. ;) Of course, I'm not saying you shouldn't trust what Lyra saw and felt throughout the story - only that the "truth" is rarely ever only two-sided... but don't give up thinking! You're kind of on the right track already!

4. For Lance's sadistic side, several of his major scenes that were edited out can now be read, right here! Heads up: they're also unedited, so that means they also retain the slight hostile, parody-ish feel from the original drafts.

* * *

**STORY DRAFT #1 SUMMARY**

Originally, SPINNING was going to be a noir-type murder mystery written from Lance's point of view, taking place sometime mid-December. The story would begin from Lyra's point of view at first, and she would be shown hanging out in Ethan's bedroom doing the work Elm asked them to do. They'd fall asleep in sleeping bags together while talking about their long time friendship, their goals and dreams... And then Lyra would wake up to a dead Ethan and a closed room early the next morning, where it seemed impossible for anyone other than Lyra to have commited the murder.

The story then switches to Lance's narration, and he comes in to help the love of his life solve this seemingly impossible crime while the police do their thing. They would be following a series of mysterious apocalyptic messages addressed to Lyra, with vague undertones of suicide and betrayal and adultery. Whitney comes into the picture as both Ethan's "sort-of girlfriend" and an important witness who is aware of the culprit's true nature, and tries to warn Lance but she becomes the second victim within minutes of contact... but still manages to leave an important clue behind.

Silver comes into the story as a friend of Ethan, and a total tsundere who didn't want to admit how important the friendship was to him but now regretted not saying it. Lance asks the boy for assistance in catching the culprit, but he refuses and solo flights the entire investigation. He uses his father's dirty Team Rocket money to obtain access to people's profiles and stuff. There's even a scene where he goes fingerprint-lifting from Ethan's mysteriously clean stereo in true CSI style.

The plot twist here is that it turns out to really be Lyra all along, and she commited the murder and set up everything so she could have fun with Lance travelling around. She laments that Lance has no time for her anymore, being the head of the Blackthorn dragon clan has kept him busy so she does this as a desperate grab for his attention, even if it meant she had to sacrifice her best friend in the process. Lance fights for his life trying to escape the cage in the abandoned laboratory near Tohjo Falls, a cage which Lyra trapped him in so he would never leave her again, and injures himself in the process. Silver jumps in with some dynamite and suicide-bombs Lyra so they both die in a terrific blast, and Lance survives and lives the rest of his life forever disillusioned by love and relationships.

While definitely darker than the final output, I felt that this was an unnecessarily cruel and heartless story that had no real point or moral.

This was also intended to be a two-shot.

* * *

**STORY DRAFT #2 SUMMARY**

The mid-December murder mystery idea was removed completely, replaced with the concept of Valentine's Day (this was because I was influenced somewhat by AquilaTempestas' LancexLyra Valentine's Day fanfic). This was still being written from Lance's point of view, and the opening scene focusing solely on Lyra and Ethan remained mostly unchanged but had more dialogue hinting Ethan's involvement in the conspiracy, as well as his motives. The other obvious change here is that Ethan is alive when Lyra wakes up the following morning to the sound of the doorbell ringing.

Lance's inner dialogue was also mostly unchanged during the riddle-solving parts due to the fact that the riddles were still the same ominous, apocalyptic ones that were used in Story Draft #1. Whitney however was no longer Ethan's "sort-of girlfriend", but Lyra's best friend 4-evah instead, and Morty was introduced as Lance's love rival (but not really, it was all Lance's misunderstanding). The overall tone of the fanfic was rather hostile, as every single character snarked at everything and everyone in between the LancexLyra fluff, plus Lance's sadism reigned supreme. There was also an obligatory hot springs scene, as one of the draft riddles had a line referring to "waters hotter than hell". It was a very hilarious scene but it felt too out of place.

There were a whole lot of LancexLyra/MortyxLyra/EthanxLyra innuendo than actual mystery and action/adventure, and the writing bordered on an M rating because of the spicyness and the language. Silver still had his glorious CSI fingerprint-lifting scene with Ethan's stereo and speakers, though. Lyra is still the culprit here, her motive somewhat the same, but she doesn't trap Lance in the abandoned laboratory but rather, they get trapped in there together, and her accomplice is an extremely reluctant Ethan, who wanted Lyra all to himself as their "friendship" was considered very romantic to the test-readers. Silver not only had access to the money and assets left behind by his father, but a whole private army, too, and he sends this army against an enraged Morty's ghost pokemon, which resulted in a silly fight scene.

This was intended to be a twoshot or a threeshot. Also, no, I was not on crack, nor was I drunk. I was just a little too excited.

* * *

**STORY DRAFT #3 SUMMARY**

"Simpler is better", as they say. The point of view was now fully Lyra's, and (half of) the blame shifted to Lance, so they've pretty much switched roles at this point. The motive was reworked yet again so part of it was Lance's, and the other part was Ethan's. The main differences between this version and the final version are the scenes that were cut out and/or rewritten (especially Lance's), and the story began to focus more on the mystery and adventure element (with LancexLyra UST was still an important overarching plot), and a healthy amount of subtlety is utilized instead. Silver's CSI scene was finally cut out for good in this draft (to DIAForce's displeasure). The tone is still pretty quick and action-oriented but the hostility of the previous two drafts' tones is practically non-existant now, save for Silver's of course. I am also kind of foolishly proud of the fact that the scene where Silver kicks Lance in the balls (twice!) has remained intact since Story Draft #1.

* * *

**RECREATION OF HOW THE ORIGINAL CONCEPT WAS BORN (PARAPHRASED)**

Skarrow: I think I'll try posting a pokemon fanfic on fanfiction dot net, and it will be a tragedy!

DIAForce: NOOO, A romance!

Skarrow: Must I?

Hersheys: Skarrow, write a mystery, IMO you suck at writing a female's emotions :(

Skarrow: :(

Hersheys: It's true

Hersheys: Oooh, write a story where Lance gets kicked in the balls :D

Skarrow: What -_-

DIAForce: I want LancexLyra! I don't want tragedy!

Hersheys: I don't care who does it, I just want to see Lance get kicked in the balls

_-and then there was much rejoicing-_

* * *

**DELETED FINAL DRAFT SCENES (SUMMARIES)**

(The actual scene names were used here)

.

**Deleted Scene #1  
Title:** "Alternate Opening Scene/The Night Before Valentine's Day"  
**When It Happens:** SPINNING - 01, right before the part Lyra finds the very first 'Find me' message.  
**Summary: **Ethan and Lyra are in Ethan's bedroom, sorting out some data on wild pokemon habitats and trying to correct the beta Johto pokedex. Ethan makes references to their long history as best friends and asks Lyra how she and Lance are doing, to which Lyra replies that she's hoping they can take their relationship one step further tomorrow, it being Valentine's Day and all that. Ethan tells her that, no matter what happens he wants them to remain best friends, but he understands if they can't hang out as much anymore if Lyra becomes a couple with Lance.  
**Reason For Getting Scrapped:** The story beginning felt slow, boring and unnecessarily angsty because of it. I like my stories to start out with a "slice-of-life mixed with foreshadowing and a subtle reveal" kind of tone.

.

******Deleted Scene #2**  
Title: "Random Exposition Scene In Golden Coliseum/Random Lady"  
**When It Happens:** SPINNING - 02, just after the Golden Coliseum power outage begins.  
**Summary: **This is a 2-part scene, the first part an extensive conversation between Lyra and Whitney about Valentine's Day trivia. The second part was Lance asking a random lady about the layout of the building.  
**Reason For Getting Scrapped:** This was originally a call-back to the plot's murder-mystery origins, but was ultimately pointless and didn't lead anywhere. It was a major cause of writer's block as well. The random lady explaining about the building layout was then replaced with Lyra and Lance reading a wall directory in the beginning of SPINNING - 03.

.

******Deleted Scene #3**  
Title: "Extra Riddle Scene w/ Silver and Lyra Breaking Into Ecruteak Gym, Mission Impossible-Style"  
**When It Happens:** SPINNING - 04, immediately after Lyra and Lance escapes the cage in the abandoned laboratory.  
**Summary: **The original "final riddle" came after the abandoned laboratory sequence, and took place at the Ecruteak City Gym. Lance distracts Morty with a conversation about top percentage Rattatas and they get into a Coke vs Pepsi debate while Lyra and Silver try to sneak past the ghost pokemon to get at Morty's office documents. And Lyra constantly snarks how, "for a guy who claims he doesn't do this for a living, Silver is really good at breaking into buildings".  
**Reason For Getting Scrapped:** Removing this scene was the hardest decision I have ever had to make for this story - it was really well written. But it contributed absolutely nothing to the plot, so it had to go, no matter how sorry I was and no matter how many rewrites it went through. Will it ever see the light of day? Most likely, no.

.

******Deleted Scene #4**  
Title: "Morty and Whitney's Argument in the Employee-Only Parking Lot"  
**When It Happens:** SPINNING - 02, while Lyra and Silver hid in between some trucks in the parking lot.  
**Summary: **The true reason for Morty showing up at the Golden Coliseum is revealed, as well as Whitney's guilt about her involvement in the conspiracy, and why she punched Morty. Morty also makes some implications on why Silver is acting so hostile towards him.  
**Reason For Getting Scrapped:** The story was supposed to center on Lyra and no one else, so this scene was adapted out and replaced with an "outsider's view" instead. The entire scene was saved, however, and will be remade into a seperate oneshot story.

.

******Deleted Scene #5**  
Title: "Silver Interrogates DJ Bulldog With Force"  
**When It Happens:** SPINNING - 04, right before Silver meets up with Lyra and Lance at the Wayside diner.  
**Summary: **Silver drops by the Radio Tower, digs around for information on DJ Bulldog and finds the guy smoking out back. Silver threatens the man, and the man tells Silver that a guy named Ethan came around and paid the Director off to get the riddle read on air. Silver, in rage and disbelief, punches DJ Bulldog and runs away, screaming expletives and words of denial.  
**Reason For Getting Scrapped:** Certainly interesting, and would give the eventual conclusion of Ethan's and Silver's friendship even more drama, but the story was supposed to center on Lyra. Which is too bad, because it would really highlight how much Silver had gotten to trust Ethan as a friend, and how he can't believe he is connected to the conspiracy, and how he's willing to avert his eyes to the truth if it means that Ethan remains innocent.

* * *

**STORY/PLOT NOTES:**

**The easiest character to write:** Morty, because he only had one line in the final draft! Nah, I'm kidding, it's actually Ethan, unsurprisingly. It's easy for me to write his dialogue, because he practically writes himself! It helps that he's so eerily goofy in this story, too. He's the perfect balance between serenity and insanity, and it helps that I'm pretty good at writing those kinds of characters. I'd never want to meet one in real life, though. I think I'd become a casualty...

**The hardest character to write:** Lance gets a special mention for being the second most complicated character in SPINNING (personality-wise), but the hardest to write was definitely Lyra. I don't know how to write a girl's romantic feelings - I felt inadequate and barbaric during every sweet, fluffy scene between Lance and Lyra, and don't get me started on the final chapter. Also, Lyra is just so _dense_! *shakes fist* She has great focus where it counts and is very empathetic, but she also ends up missing a_ lot_ of important stuff outside her scope of attention, _especially_ when it comes to other characters' _actions_! I write out the scene, and then I have to delete what I wrote after hours of hard work because she isn't that hyper-aware and tends to take things at face-value, grrr.

**On Silver:** This poor guy ended up shafted from the get-go. Tragedy is one of my strongest writing points, right next to mystery, and no matter how much I wanted this story to be light-hearted and fluffy, I ended up undermining all of my own efforts from the very first draft. Sorry, Silver.

**On Ethan:** Were you surprised by the way he turned out? Codependency for the win, I suppose. It makes a great plot point, but it's a serious problem in real life when taken to extreme levels like he has. Some of you guys seem to like how far he went for Lyra to protect her, but personally I don't think I could stand a friend like that. It's just... too much damage control to handle? Ahahaha, you can look forward to a whole lot more about Ethan in the sequel - I'm not quite finished showing you what he's about, yet...

**On Lance:** You were waiting for him to get sadistic, weren't you? But a guy who's as disciplined as Lance wouldn't let his guard down so easily in a non-Pokemon battling setting, or in front of Lyra. It took all of my willpower to keep his scenes free of sadism. Damn Lyra and her rose-colored glasses! Also, he is one of two characters who has a "checklist" of traits that I constantly look at while writing him. He's just really that complicated. I was afraid I'd screwed myself over when I wrote him, but somehow Lance held himself together on his own really smoothly.

**On the song "Find Me":** You probably figured it out by now, but the song reflects Ethan's strong feelings for Lyra, and is pretty much associated with him to the point that it has become his theme song(?). And I'm rediculously proud of how I managed to wedge the song lyrics right into the first chapter while Ethan interacted with Lyra - it's like, what came out of his mouth was one thing, but the song actually revealed what he was really going through at the time, in the background (so I guess that means the beginning of the first chapter is actually really angsty, in a way).

**On EthanxLyra:** These two, together, is my One True Friendship Pairing in the entire fandom! In Pokemon Crystal, when you chose to play as the girl (Kris), Ethan never appears. It's like she's the female version of him. But in HG/SS, Lyra and Ethan will always appear as your childhood friend/neighbor if you chose one over the other, and I've always adored this. I'm really glad that none of you readers thought that Ethan had any romantic feelings for Lyra (I hate it whenever I try to write friendship in any fandom between two characters and everybody ends up thinking they'd make a great couple) - and you can expect these two to continue to interact in the sequel, as well!

**On the open-ended "final chapter":** This may surprise some people who don't read them or aren't familiar with them, but classic mystery novels hardly ever detail what happened to all the other reindeer afterwards, so in the same spirit I ended the tale right where it is. But I understand how agonizing it is not to know the fates of our heroes and heroine (at least until the sequel), so that's why there was one last "Character Profile" section at the very end of FULL CIRCLE. And side stories and a sequel-hook in this final update.

**On why I update and revise the story chapters so many times, and leave a log about it:** Truth to be told, when it comes to writing any other genre outside mystery and tragedy, I'm much more lax about grammar, spelling and formatting. But when it comes to my two favorite genres, anything from a simple misspelling to badly-worded scenes could be gamebreakers that ruin the fun of solving the mystery. And whenever I make any of these changes, I let my readers know - the story is supposed to be solvable, so no secrets and no cheating on the author's part! And besides, serious readers would hate having to read badly spelled words and crooked sentences over and over again when they look for clues, wouldn't they? At least, I do.

**The theme of SPINNING:** It may or may not be obvious, but the central theme of the story is love. This theme will continue on in the sequel, too. (You may now criticize me for not writing around the central theme properly.)

**Something to try:** Now that the story has ended, try going back to read the story from the first chapter again, but this time, try to look at the events that happen to Lyra objectively. Y'know, just to enjoy all the foreshadowing! Or, you could just move on to some other fanfic, I suppose...

**On the puzzles:** The puzzles (and their locations) were crafted before writing the actual plot that involved them, hence how unusually detailed and orderly they are. Due to time constraints, Lyra only focused on certain areas, and the rest of the details were forever lost.

**On the weird periodic table naming scheme in the Golden Coliseum:** As you have noticed, each door in the Golden Coliseum's 7th floor were named after a combination of element names: H+U, B+W, N+P, et cetera. Furthermore, the doors had additional names to go with these letter combinations ("SOIL", "PURE", "SALT", et cetera). This particular area won't be used for puzzle purposes ever again, though. If you're curious, here is the complete list of names, meanings and secondary names for that section:

[elements:]

H - Hydrogen - 1  
B - Boron - 5  
C - Carbon - 6  
N - Nitrogen - 7  
O - Oxygen - 8  
F - Fluorine - 9  
P - Phosphorus - 15  
S - Sulfur - 16  
K - Potassium - 19  
V - Vanadium - 23  
Y - Yttrium - 39  
I - Iodine - 53  
W - Tungsten - 74  
U - Uranium - 92

[7 rooms, which are a combination of elements:]

1+92 = H+U = Hydrogen and Uranium (Used in "Tickling the dragon's tail", or high-risk experiments; codename "SLUG")

5+74 = B+W = Boron and Tungsten (Creates which has remarkably high hardness; codename "HARD")

6+19 = C+K = Carbon and Potassium (Potassium Carbonate; codename "SALT")

7+15 = N+P = Nitrogen and Phosphorus (nutrients found in soil that help plants grow; codename "SOIL")

8+53 = O+I = Oxygen and Iodine (used in a Chemical Iodine Oxide Laser; codename "COIL")

9+39 = F+Y = Fluoride and Yttrium (used to make Yttrium(III) fluoride, used to make thin films, glasses and ceramics. It is not known naturally in 'pure' form; codename "PURE")

16+23 = S+V = Sulfur and Vanadium (both are always found in highly combustible fuels; codename "FUEL")

* * *

**_BONUS SECTION_**

**_END_**

* * *

**ANOTHER POV:**

(SPINNING - 01, right after Lyra's phone call with Lance)

"Lance, hold on! You can't just leave! Stop!"

It was pure dumb luck that Karen caught up with Lance before his Dragonite carried him away from Battle Tower that morning.

Lance did not appear to hear her however. ...Or he was outright ignoring her, which was more likely. Karen was willing to bet on the latter. But she was not going to just let him leave! This tournament had to go off without a hitch! The Indigo League needed to prove its might and triumph over all the others! And she was not going to accept any excuses! No matter how happy she'd be if he left, Lance was still supposed to represent the League!

With an encouraging pat on the head from his master, Dragonite gave an energetic roar and began to lift off.

"I said, _hold it_, porcupine!" Karen shouted in vain.

She ran across the well-tended grass lawn towards him as fast as she could manage on her four-inch heels. She scowled when she felt fresh mud splatter her with every step, clinging to the cuffs of her pants - and these were her favorite pair of pants too, _goddammit_ - but Lance and his faithful yellow oversized-lizard waited for no woman.

Dragonite leapt powerfully, majestically into the air, causing random onlookers in the distance to go "oooh!" and "aaah!" at the spectacle. Incredibly, no one in the audience fled the scene; no matter how dangerous it looked and how much damage was caused, front row seats to the League Champion's activities (even ones that were as mundane as Flying away on a Pokemon) were jealously coveted by the serious fans, and were always mesmerizing to watch up close. And Karen of the Elite Four was here, too! What so-called fan would turn their eyes away when two superstars were in the same place at the same time?

An especially strong draft from the Whirlwind knocked nearby small empty food stands right off their wooden pegs. Random shop signs, ingredients and machinery whipped towards Karen, who was literally the only person in the entire vicinity who dared to run up close to the Dragon Tamer.

Forget _ignoring_ her, the League Champion was most probably trying to kill her without making it seem too obvious while secretly enjoying her struggles; Dragonite did not normally use Whirlwind when taking flight... But Karen wasn't called the strongest and the classiest Indigo League Elite Four member for nothing! She was smarter than Will (debateable), more agile than Koga (immeasurable) and could hold her own in an arm wrestling match against Bruno (hyperbole)! Plus, she was fabulously beautiful and stylish. Nobody on earth could approach her! And she wouldn't be deterred by anything! She would show him!

"Hah!"

Umbreon dashed up ahead of her, using his reality-bending powers of darkness to cut a safe path through the most dangerous pieces of debris flying towards his Trainer. Karen used fancy kung-fu to barrel right through random food item packages, refusing to be disgusted. When an especially large wooden plank flew right outside Umbreon's range and sped straight for her neck, Karen dropped to her knees, sliding on the grass just underneath until it was safe to get right back to running, her momentum not slowing down in the slightest. The crowds of gawkers erupted in excited applause!

_Just hear that thunderous applause!_ She gloated in her mind. _They love me! Suck on that, porcupine!_

Karen was a woman who reveled in adoration. There was no deep, underlying reason for it - she just liked being the center of attention. She was always looking for ways to increase her public appeal and _finally_ overtake that stupid porcupine in the popularity polls, whether it be with her looks, her skills or her charisma. Even if it meant fostering a "friendship" with Lance for the public to boost her image. Yet somehow, that faker always succeeded where she didn't! Last month, he was once again named the Number 1 Pokemon Trainer in Kanto and Johto in the New Year's popularity poll (she wouldn't forgive Gym Leader Blue either, for stealing the Number 2 position, forcing her to Number 3)! His seemingly easy success was driving her crazy!

At last, Karen was close enough to the departing dragon Pokemon. She cupped her well-manicured hands around her mouth and shouted once more.

"Lance, I know you can hear me! You still have a tournament to get to!"

Dragonite remained where he was, hovering about twelve feet above ground. Lance finally turned around in his seat and looked down to where Karen stood, his brown eyes scanning her up and down. "...Ah, Karen? Egg yolk is dripping down between your thighs. Are you ovulating?" He asked innocently.

"Wh-?! _Shit!_"

Somehow, Karen had completely missed the fact that several raw eggs had pelted her legs... and the fact that one had gotten her right in the crotch, of all places. And it didn't help how his _pleasant_ and confident voice tended to carry over long distances - as a result the people overheard the "innocent" comment and laughed, repeating the sentence word for word to others who couldn't catch it.

To the general public, it was friendly joking banter between two good pals. But Karen never felt more embarrassed in her life. There she was, covered in mud and egg yolk, her favorite pair of pants ruined, right in front of the fans she was trying to impress! In front of _Lance_, of all people! Ugh, that grin on his face was so _infuriating_! Her day was officially ruined beyond repair!

_Dammit, Lance!_

"Anyways, you don't need to worry. I've called in a few favors, and two especially powerful Trainers will be taking both Lyra's and my own place in the tournament."

"Shut up! I don't care about that anymore! Get down here so I can crucify you!" She shrieked. "I won't forgive you for this humiliation, Lance! Mark my words!"

Unlike Lance whom she suspected to have undergone secret vocal training, Karen's voice was not as strong as his so the crowds could hear her shouting _something_, but couldn't discern the words. They could only hear Lance's side of the conversation and totally misinterpret the tone of the conversation due to the distance. So in a way, Karen could say anything she wanted, but still she bit her tongue - she wasn't going to let her guard down and start swearing her head off (previous slip of the tongue not counting) no matter what.

"Karen, I'm sorry if I offended you. Are you alright? That was some amazing defensive maneuvers back there." His words were that of casual concern, but he sounded really disappointed.

Karen's eyebrow twitched. "Like _hell_ you're sorry!"

"I'm glad to see that you're doing well. Give my regards to the other Champions for me, will you? Farewell!" He gave her a smarmy wink and a lighthearted salute.

"Stop right there!"

"Dragonite!"

In response to the Dragon Tamer's shout, Dragonite zoomed upwards with such incredible speed Karen was knocked right off her feet from the aftershocks. She stumbled and fell right into a puddle of dirty water on her bum with a _splat_.

The crowds erupted into applause for the third time, even wilder and more passionate than ever before, as if they'd just witnessed a miracle. "Lance! Lance!" They cheered.

"One of these days I swear I'll get back at you, just you wait!" Karen screamed.

Dragonite was merely a distant dot in the sky now, but she swore she could still see the Dragon Master still grinning.

...No, that wasn't supposed to make any sense.

.o.

(SPINNING - 02, around the time Lyra leaves Lance at the Golden Coliseum guard station to call Ethan)

"Good morning. I am here on official League business of grave importance. May I speak to your superiors?"

Lance spoke to the security guards with the perfect balance of politeness and assertiveness, a Dragon Master through and through.

_Official League business?_ Koga wondered to himself, hiding in the nearby trees under the cover of darkness. _I have heard nothing about this. Could it be Team Rocket once again? But no, that doesn't make any sense. Lance would have informed me and the other members of the Elite Four. And what is Lyra doing with him? And just what kind of official League business of grave importance could keep him from saying anything to the rest of us?_

Karen had told Koga, Bruno and Will about what had happened an hour earlier at Battle Tower. Out of the three men, Koga had the most experience with women (he had a wife and a teenage daughter after all), so in the end it fell to the ninja father-figure to calm the exotic Dark-type Trainer down long enough to actually stop ranting and frothing at the mouth about porcupines and popularity contests.

It was indeed very troubling that Lance could give up such an important tournament.

To Koga, this meant one of two things:

1. Danger was on the horizon.

or

2. Lance was plotting something.

"Right this way, sir! Please, step this way!" said one of the guards redundantly in response to Lance's request.

Koga waited patiently until Lance, Lyra and the security were a good distance away before making his move. Like a shadowy phantom of the night, he darted from tree branch to tree branch without making a sound in pursuit of the Dragon Master. Koga may have been middle-aged, but he had years and years of rigorous training and experience backing him up - not once did his flaming red scarf of asskicking snag on the bark, nor did his too-big wooden clogs slip off his feet. A ninja stalked both allies and enemies alike, blending in and becoming one with nature. That was his code, his _ninja way_.

Lance and Lyra followed the security guard into a tiny, boxy, one-story building. The guard station, Koga correctly noted in his head. Perhaps something foul was afoot at the Golden Coliseum in particular, and Lance had come with Lyra to warn the citizens and prepare a counter attack...? There was only one way to make sure. Koga would need to do a little eavesdropping. So he dashed down the tree he'd perched in, hopped over the stone wall and zoomed across the parking lot with such godly speed he'd bypassed the other security detail milling about without getting detected, coming to a complete stop just beneath the windowsill. He held his breath when the guard who'd guided Lance and Lyra to the guard station stepped back out and radioed his position.

"Targets A and B have been escorted to Point Beta. Awaiting further instructions." The young security guard paused, listening closely to the broadcasted instructions before speaking once again into his radio, "Understood. Commencing _Operation Valentine_." He walked away.

Koga frowned at this. 'Operation Valentine'? It was obviously a reference to today's holiday, but what was this operation? This sounded worse and worse to the seasoned spy of the shadows. That guard... when he said 'targets', was he referring to Lance and Lyra? Was this a set up? Was the young budding couple in terrible danger?

"Lance, I'm just going to step outside for a minute and make a phone call!" Koga heard Lyra say cheerfully. Reflexively, he smiled - Lyra reminded him of his daughter, Janine. They were both always so happy and friendly, and they were both utterly devoted to their Pokemon partners.

Lance's voice however was so close, it was as if he were standing right above Koga's hiding place. Perhaps he were standing next to the window? "That's fine. Actually, do you want to go ahead and start looking around for a sign from the sender? The sooner we get on it, the better. I'll just catch up to you once I've gotten express permission from the head of security."

"I'd like that, actually. I'll call you right away if I find anything!" For some reason, Lyra sounded a smidge less happy than before, but fired-up nonetheless.

"...Take care."

Koga heard Lyra leave the guard station with a dejected sigh. But wait, wasn't she cheerful just a moment ago? Why did teenagers have so many moodswings? How many licks does it take to get to the center of a lollipop? The world may never know.

Nothing happened for a few seconds, and Koga's ninja senses began to jangle in warning.

_...Could Lance be aware of my presence?_

The shadow warrior's pulse rate quickened.

_No, it couldn't be-_

There was the sound of the door opening once again.

"Good morning, Mr. Dragon Master sir!" Greeted a new, rough voice. "I'm Langley, Chief of Security at the Golden Coliseum. My men tell me you're here conducting official League business? I hope you don't mind if I get right to the point, as today a special event will be held here. The biggest one we've had in half a decade!"

"I'd also like to get straight to the point," Lance replied coolly, his voice now several feet away. "I want you to tell me everything you know about _Operation Valentine_."

Koga felt this was a good chance as any to get a quick look inside. He slowly inched upwards - making no sudden movements - until he could peer over the window ledge into the room. Lance was standing right in front of the window with his back to Koga, his dark cape somehow making him appear quite menacing under the harsh fluorescent lighting of the outpost. Langley was a bulky man with a five o'clock shadow and a thick cigar jammed in between his teeth. Unlike the regular guards, this Chief was wearing a pristine white polo shirt and black slacks. Judging by the Chief of Security's pale, stricken face, Lance was most likely intimidating him on purpose.

"I'm sorry, sir. I have been given the order to keep my council," Langley said bravely, biting hard on his cigar. "So it doesn't matter how many times you ask; you won't be getting anything out of me."

The air around the two men seemed to darken. Koga could only imagine what kind of expression the Dragon Tamer had on his face at that particular moment.

In his own experience, Lance tended to favor using his standard cheerful, sincere, engaging smile for most occasions - whether it be extortion, psychological abuse, tranquil fury or fooling the media, this signature smile of his had the power to both enthrall you and burn a hole right through your skull. Then there was Lance's _not_ smiling face, his stern face. At just the right moments that face could nail your feet to the ground with no chance of escape and make you shit your pants. Koga himself had fallen victim to Lance's stern face once in the past... And then there was Lance's "hell's angel" smile. One _never_ forgets this particular smile. You'd be _extremely lucky_ to be on the receiving end of his "angelic" smile and survive, because experiencing Dragon Master's rage was a fate worse than a hundred deaths.

"...You don't understand, Chief Langley."

Lance took one step forward.

And another step.

_And another._

"I'm not _asking_ you," Lance said pleasantly. "I'm ordering you to tell me what you know."

"I..." Langley gulped audibly, and at the exact same time Koga did. "I'm not telling you anything!"

"...Someone important to me has been frightened out of her mind. I don't like seeing her like that, and I do not appreciate being lied to. You_ will_ tell me what you know."

_Someone important...?_ Koga pondered.

"Are- are you threatening me?!" Langley stammered and took a cautious step backwards without thinking, his back hitting the steel file cabinet.

"Threatening you?" Lance repeated, bemused. "No... This isn't a threat, Chief. This is a _promise_."

The Dragon Tamer turned his head to one side, glancing over his shoulder at Koga's hiding spot with twinkling brown eyes and a serene smile.

An_ angelic_ smile.

"...!"

The Elite Four ninja instantly ducked away from the window, his heart beating rapidly from a sudden burst of adrenaline and _fear_. His gut-instincts were going haywire. It was as if there was a guillotine hanging right above his head. Like he'd been put out right in front of an execution squad! He was one hundred percent certain the Dragon Master had seen him, had _known_ beforehand of his prescence! He had no idea what the younger man was thinking, but if that smile was anything to go by... the male shuddered. He needed to get out of there, _now_! Pronto!

As the ninja slipped away as quickly and as stealthily as he could, he heard Lance say,

"Chief Langley. Would you like me to give you a demonstration?"

A familiar, blood-curdling Pokemon battle cry resounded right on top of Koga.

_Is that Lance's Dragonite?! When on earth did he release him?!_

Koga didn't _dare_ look over his shoulder to check. He tried to use his inhuman-speed to get to the safety of the trees, sticking to the cover of darkness along the way, the Pokemon in hot pursuit, snarling and growling. He could practcally feel the dragon's breath on the back of his neck...!

Just as the ninja reached the home stretch, Dragonite nabbed him right up right as he vaulted over the stone wall (he was most likely using ExtremeSpeed) and took flight with the Elite struggling haplessly in its claws.

_Hmph, this is nothing to a seasoned shadow warrior such as I!_ Koga slipped a hand into his pouch, gripping an ancient scroll. _My Weasel Chasing the Rising Sun secret technique will-_

Several security guards and random Coliseum employees in the area glanced up at the commotion. At the strange sight of a ninja getting carried away by a big yellow lizard, they began to talk loudly and excitedly.

"Whoa, that guy is getting spirited away! Is he a stuntman? Are we on TV?"

"Naw, I think he's one of those goofy Dragon Tamers from Blackthorn."

"Oi, grandpa! That's not how you ride a dragon! Get your grandkids to help you out!"

_Curse it all! I can't utilize my ninja techniques now!_ Koga realized. _Not in broad daylight with all of these witnesses! Of all the times I am forced to abide by my code...! And who are you calling grandpa, you cocky brat!_

He'll have to use his Pokemon instead. Venomoth would do the trick. Koga glanced downwards, intent on retrieving the Pokeball he needed when his gaze was drawn, unbidden, to the sight of how far away the ground looked and how tiny the people were getting. Just one mistake, and he could fall to his death... His heart leapt to his throat and stayed there.

"No... _nooooo_!"

...Right. Koga had slight acrophobia.

The higher and higher Dragonite flew, the less calm and rational Koga became.

"Did Lance anticipate my moves? What is Dragonite planning to do to me? How can Dragonite act on his own like this?! ...Dragonite, aren't you Flying a bit too high? Wait a minute, Dragonite, this is high enough, don't you think?! Seriously, stop climbing to higher altitudes, I beg you! Aaaaaugh! AAAAAUGH! Too high! TOO HIGH! GAAAAAH!"

Eleven horrifying seconds above the Goldenrod City skyscrapers later, Dragonite nosedived and abruptly released a petrified Koga from his grasp. The man tumbled and flailed face first right into an open dumpster, screaming like a little girl. Dragonite made a sound that greatly resembled a snort of laughter before swooping upwards and soaring away.

Koga's head popped out of the stinking heap after a few minutes, desperate for air.

"Lance is insane, a-a-and so are his d-d-dragons! I-I-I need to r-r-regroup with the others...!" He coughed and choked aloud indignantly. How dare that kid make a mockery of him and his fear of heights!

He counted his Pokeballs. When he confirmed that all six of them were accounted for, he sighed and attempted to climb out of the dumpster - but because his limbs were locked up from shock and fear, he couldn't get very far and he ended up sliding back down into the trashbags.

...At least he didn't shit his pants this time.

.o.

(SPINNING - 03, when Lyra and Lance split up to search the 7th floor of the Golden Coliseum)

This is the second time he has come back to this damn colloseum. But Silver didn't have a choice; Ethan had misplaced his radio two days ago, sometime during the tennis match they were watching together. They'd stayed behind until late night trying to find it, to no avail. Yesterday was no good, either. Today, Ethan could not help Silver because of his duties at Professor Elm's lab but it didn't really matter. If the redhead couldn't find the radio today, he would give up on it and move on.

It wasn't as if the radio was special to Silver or anything... but it did hold some value to a certain someone. In a way, it was a physical connection to this person.

Once he had ascertained that Lyra had successfully made her getaway from the parking lot, Silver had used a Smoke Ball to cut his battle with Gym Leader Morty short and escape into the Golden Coliseum's main building. He had to sneak inside as well because the security guards recognized him for some reason and always tried to kick him out. Today was Valentine's Day, and the workers were as busy as bees, muttering about an "electronic prank" while getting ready for some kind of indie concert. Silver ignored all this and made his way to the employee service elevator in the back, which he'd stolen a key from the HR department for. Using this elevator he could get to his destination in no time at all.

Inside the elevator, Silver shoved his hands casually into his pockets and watched the floor numbers on the indicator:

_2..._

_3..._

_4..._

_5..._

_BWINK!_

All at once, the electricity died, and the elevator came to a grinding halt on the 5th floor.

Silver frowned. "...You have got to be kidding me."

He stood there waiting for about two minutes before groaning aloud.

"...I don't have _time_ for this. Weavile! Crobat!"

With a bit of help from his Pokemon and a lot of bravery, Silver managed to jimmy open the little panel door on the elevator's ceiling with Weavile's claws and Crobat carried him up and out of the elevator to the floor he needed to be on. Silver pressed his ear against the doors to make sure there was nobody out there before ordering Weavile to force this door open as well. In the next moment, Silver was safely inside.

"It's dark out here... I wonder how long the electricity'll be out?"

Not that he needed the light. His Pokegear would do the trick-

A noise.

The teen male froze from head to foot, listening hard. There was indeed a noise, it sounded like... talking? And it was coming from down the hall... was somebody else here? But there were no other telltale sounds, only the soft continuous murmur voices. He slowly crept down the darkened hallways to locate the source, using his Pokegear to light the way...

"Hall N+P... huh..."

The sounds were definitely coming from inside this chamber.

"This was where I watched the tennis match with Ethan... tch, I'll never accept an invite from that guy ever again."

Chains were wound tightly around the iron handles, holding the double doors securely closed, but it was nothing Weavile's claws couldn't handle. Silver kicked the chains out of his way and shoved his way into the Hall. He almost immediately saw his portable radio tangled in the tennis court net. It was turned on, and some kind of talk show program was playing with the volume cranked all the way up. He ran towards it and got right down to untangling the rediculous knots that held it in place.

Silver had found his radio. It was almost too good to be true, yet there was no denying that it was now in his hands. But what was it doing here in the first place? Silver had searched this particular chamber from top to bottom, and it wasn't hanging from the court net before. So his hunch was right - someone had taken the radio for himself... and got bored of using it apparently, and left it behind. He didn't even have the decency to turn the radio off...

He was still lost in thought when he left Hall N+P and walked down the hallway. He'd turned the radio off to save what remaining energy its batteries had and was about to inspect it for damages when-

"Dragonite, Hyper Beam. Full power."

Weavile shoved his master to safety in the split second before the deadly energy beam of death connected with the redhead, blasting away the wall instead.

**_BOOM!_**

There was a terrific explosion, and the world around Silver seemed to shudder and rock violently, on the verge of collapse. When Silver landed on his back, his head clonked hard against the floor, and he even saw stars for a few seconds. He didn't dare move. Silver wasn't hurt, but he was still struggling to recover from his shock - wait a minute, was someone walking towards him? He squinted through the dust.

"-Ah, Silver. That was really dangerous, walking right into my Dragonite's line of fire like that. You could have gotten hurt, you know."

"That... that voice!" Silver wheezed, squeezing his eyes shut and willing his confusion and dizziness to go away. He rolled over onto all fours, struggled to his feet and glared up at the one Trainer he did not want to bump into today at all costs, but because of some sadistic higher power he was granted this misfortune. "What the hell are you trying to pull here, you goddamn trigger-happy ephebophile?! Who goes around ordering their dragon to randomly Hyper Beam stuff?!"

"Ahahaha, it was an honest mistake!" Lance reassured the younger male, his cape whipping dramatically behind him. His voice dropped to a whisper. "But next time, I won't miss..."

"What did you say?" Silver frowned, straining his ears. His eardrums were still ringing from the booming explosion, and he only heard half of what Lance had said.

"No, it's nothing important. Heh."

Silver suddenly felt unsure under the man's friendly smile. Ever since he'd first crossed paths with this tall guy years ago at the Team Rocket base in Mahogany Town, the teen couldn't help but think there was something... "off" about him. He'd originally attributed it to the man's bleeding heart methods of training his Pokemon, but nowadays he reckoned it was the man's chivalrous and noble act that was getting to him. Yeah, that was probably it. And not to mention his cape was so _stupid_.

Lance changed the topic, still smiling. "I see you've found the source of the strange noises," he said, motioning towards the radio in Silver's hand. "Could I have it?"

"...Why?"

"Lyra needs it to solve an important riddle. I would appreciate it if you lent it to her, and I know she would be grateful to you, too."

Silver studied the Dragon Master for a brief minute, considering his request. Yes, he knew all about Lyra's search for the secret sender of the _'Find me'_ letters, and he also knew that Lance was helping her. The man was telling the truth.

"...No."

If Lyra really needed the radio, she would have to ask Silver directly. There was no fucking way Silver would allow cape-freak to get his hands on it.

"I'm sorry, could you repeat that Silver? My ears are still ringing from the Hyper Beam blast."

Lance turned his head sideways and held up a hand next to his ear in the universal sign language for 'I didn't quite catch that'. Silver opened his mouth to repeat himself, but hesitated slightly.

_Why the hell do I feel like I'm asking to get killed...?_

"I said, no, I won't give you the radio."

"Eh, but why?"

"Like I'd ever give _anything_ to you if you asked, bastard!"

"...You don't want me to ask you? Well then. You should have just made that clear from the beginning, Silver. I would've gladly complied."

"Huh?"

Lance whistled.

There was the faint sound of wings flapping in the distance, and there was a rush of wind-

With a terrible screech, Weavile leapt to his master's defense once again, knocking away the ambushing Altaria before she could deal any damage. An Aerial Ace could not be dodged... but there were still ways to stop it in its tracks. Parrying was one way, and Silver had spent a lot of time teaching Weavile to do it successfully. Pride welled in his heart at the action, but on the outside he was fuming at the sudden attack. "Fuck you, Lance!" Silver roared. "Weavile, give Altaria a taste of your Ice Beam!"

Weavile mewled an urgent warning, prompting Silver to squint up at the damned Altaria-

"_What_?!"

The Altaria was gripping his portable radio in its claws.

She wasn't trying to attack Silver... she had meant to steal the radio away from him!

"Do it now, Weavile! Ice Beam!"

The Ice Beam was fired at the bird with deadly precision. With a pained cry, Altaria fainted while still in mid-air and plummeted towards the floor. Lance recalled Altaria, and Silver made a running dive, catching the portable radio in his outstretched hands. "Weavile, return! Teach him a lesson, Crobat!"

Crobat smoothly switched with his teammate and hovered menacingly above the two Trainers. With a frantic flap of his wings, a purple orb of energy began to take form. Silver knew he would lose if he just attacked Lance's Pokemon with brute force. His previous embarrassing losses to the older man attested to this. His plan was to have Crobat use Confuse Ray to make the oversized yellow lizard too dizzy to follow orders before Ice Beaming its face.

Meanwhile, Dragonite had recovered from using Hyper Beam and was ready to rumble. Similarly to his beloved Trainer, Dragonite had a strange gleeful gleam in his eyes...

.o.

(SPINNING - 03, around the time Lyra uses the bathroom at the Wayside Diner)

The Indigo League was filled with all kinds of people from all walks of life. Of particular note, the Dragon Master from Blackthorn City... and the female he is trying to win over.

The future of Kanto and Johto rests on the decisions she will make when she steps into the role of Champion.

This was what Will believed.

But his organization was not interested in her, but rather the Dragon Master, mainly because of his connection to the mysterious city nestled deep in the mountains... and the equally mysterious Blackthorn dragon clan that resided there.

Said Dragon Master looked rather amused right now.

"...Heh."

Lyra raised an eyebrow at Lance from across their table.

"Mmph? What? You're staring at my face."

Lance had an elbow propped on the table surface, his chin resting on his palm. He grinned at her.

"You really are cute."

"Ehhh?!"

Sitting way on the other side of the bustling and pop diner, in a strategically located private booth, Bruno nudged Will. "Hey. This is enough, isn't it? Lance is on a date with his lady love. We should not spy on them anymore, it's rude. And a true man would never resort to these tactics!"

"..." Will badly wanted to do just as his coworker had been suggesting for the past twenty seven minutes, but who knows when he could get another chance to discover something new about the Blackthorn dragon clan? So he simply shook his head and continued to eavesdrop on the sort-of couple's conversation, no matter how revolting it was to him. Seriously, just how many times did the Dragon Master have to tell Lyra that she was cute?! He'd said it four separate times already! ...No, Will was _not_ counting!

_I have to focus,_ Will chastised himself. _The secrets of the Blackthorn dragon clan are finally within my grasp. I can't falter here._

It's uncertain how long the dragon clan has existed.

Will once uncovered a legend in a certain city in the Johto region, a city known for its long standing traditions and its trees that remained forever gold and crimson colored. A legend according to which, an entire army of attacking foreign soldiers were single-handedly destroyed by a man who communicated with dragons, hailing from the mountains to the far east. If one took this legend as proof of the dragon clan's existence then it must have existed over 200 years ago. But this was just Will's analogical inference.

The organization was obsessed with uncovering the true nature of the Blackthorn dragon clan, not just its origins. How did the clan come about? For what purpose does it exist? So far, all the information they've acquired is vague at best. Most of this information comes from informers who have access to the city. But they're nowhere close to the core...

The organization still continues to dispatch investigators to this day. And Will of the Elite Four was the one and only investigator to successfully get this close to a high-ranking member of the mysterious clan.

"As you know, I'm a pretty high-ranking member of my clan," Lance began his new tale.

Lyra leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. "Does that mean you have special rights or something like that?"

_This may be it!_ Will thought excitedly. _Some actual information and not random trivia this time!_

"Yes, as a matter of fact I do have special rights..." Lance said solemnly. "For example, when I am faced with an unbearably long line at the hot springs and I don't feel like waiting for my turn, I can use my name to clear the way and get in with no hassle, no fuss. And I can even kick other customers out. Pretty cool, huh?"

_That isn't a 'special right', that's blatant elitist tyranny!_

"Wow, Lance!" Lyra gushed. "That sounds like something I'd only read about in a romantic fairy tale!"

_How can that girl just accept everything he tells her at face-value?! Is she really that DENSE?! ...No, Will, slow down. You need to look at everything he says objectively. You can't let your personal feelings and ethics get in the way of your mission to uncover Lance's secrets. And besides, even if he said it himself, I have no way of confirming if it's true..._

Lance the Dragon Master.

Will had no clue what the man's primary occupation was. To be precise, Lance had so many titles other than "Dragon Master"; so many that it was impossible to know which ones were real. The most obvious of which is his position as consultant to the region's main Self-Defense Forces office.

But actually, he's a sadistic and bloodthirsty beast who has hidden influence in the government, the authorities and giant corporations alike.

There was no denying Lance's skills as a Pokemon Trainer. There was also no denying his college degree, or his achievements as a brave defender of the people. And yet even these things seemed to be no more than the public face of a man who lives within the dark confines of his clan. His name was treated as both a prayer and a taboo. He has made countless appearances in various forms of media as well, but none of that information shed any light to his personal life, or his family. Will was worried that once Lyra took Lance's place as Champion, the Dragon Master would fade into obscurity.

Will wanted to unveil everything before that happened.

The face hidden behind the mask of chivalry and justice... the face he kept hidden from the rest of the world-

A sweet, feminine laugh yanked Will out of his dramatic inner monologue.

"I see, so that's how it is!" Lyra said, interrupting Lance's story. She tried to smother giggles behind her hand. "Lance, you're so mean!"

"Hey, how was I supposed to know the chocolate pudding belonged to Claire? Give me some credit here!" Lance said defensively, blushing slightly.

Will's eyebrow twitched irritably at the scene he'd been forced to witness for the sake of his mission these past twenty-seven minutes. Twenty eight, if you wanted to get technical.

An unexpectedly _pink_ world surrounding the young couple was spreading ever closer to where he sat and waited, threatening to shatter his dreams filled with intrigue and darkness...

"Oh, that's Gym Leader Sabrina on TV right now, isn't it?" Bruno remarked offhandedly, totally not interested in watching Lance interact with Lyra. Instead, he had been completely absorbed in watching the news on the huge flatscreen hanging above the dessert counter. "It's incredible how they got her to give horoscope readings this month. Why haven't you done that, Will? A true man should always go where duty calls him!"

"As I've already told you a hundred times before, I'm a different kind of psychic!"

Lance was still behaving a complete 180 from how he usually was, and all his blushes and sincere smiles creeped Will out to no end. So the masked gentleman turned away from the saccharine flirting to look at the TV.

The horoscope segments were always unnecessarily drummed up with bogus special effects and unsettling backdrops to create a mystical atmosphere. But Sabrina was a trusted and capable psychic. Will could admit to himself at least that he was rather curious what her predictions would be.

_"This week, those born under Libra have the worst luck,"_ Sabrina droned. _"Do not under any circumstances lend your personal items to anyone, even your friends. Doing so would not only result in said personal item getting lost, but also an encounter of unpleasant nature with said friend, and may end in injury or death. Your lucky color is silver."_

Bruno eyed Will. "Aren't you a Libra, Will? You'd better not lend any of your things to other people this week. A true man remains open minded and takes all warnings to heart!"

"Must you associate everything with 'the true man' code you're so fond of?" Will asked irritably. "It's worse than your spheal about 'true strength'."

Meanwhile, Lyra paused and studied her palms and fingers. "Sorry, but will you excuse me? I need to wash my hands."

Lance nodded. "Go right ahead. I'll take care of our bill in the meantime."

Will's frown only deepened.

_...Seriously, no matter how many times I look, it's just too surreal to see Lance act so honestly nice. It's like my perception of reality is slipping from my fingers... I just have no idea how to interpret his interest in her. Lyra is pretty, a talented Trainer, and loves her Pokemon. These traits aren't exactly rare, there are plenty of women out there who have the same traits. Perhaps if I try to understand what it is that Lance likes about Lyra, I'll be one step closer to understanding him. Yes... maybe it is time I change my tactics slightly._

Once Lyra had disappeared into the bathroom, Will made to stand up. "Bruno, I've seen enough. Let's go."

Bruno scratched his temple. "Huh, you're not going to greet Lance? A true man is always polite and cordial, whether it be friend or foe!"

"There's no need t-"

Alarmed by the sudden surge of sadistic energy behind him, Will skillfully jumped out of the booth to safety, dodging the projectile that had been launched at his back with both speed faster than the average human eye could follow, and precision more frightening and deadly than a sniper's-

_Fwooosh! THUNK!_

-a butter knife was deeply embedded into the wooden wall that had been next to his head a second ago.

Some would be shocked by Lance's murderous actions, but for both the Dragon Tamer and the psychic this kind of interaction was the norm. Will suspected that Lance knew his secret identity and his mission, which was why Will was constantly in danger around the younger man. But that didn't mean Will was used to such assaults.

Miraculously, it didn't look like anybody saw what happened, either. For all the attention Lance garnered, he could be fairly sneaky whenever he wanted.

"Hey, Will. I'm hurt that you and Bruno didn't come over to say hi," Lance said conversationally. He nonchalantly walked up to Will's booth and tried to pull the butter knife from the wall, but because of the strength of his throwing arm the utensil was stuck pretty deep. "...Tch, missed again," he muttered under his breath.

"What the _hell_ are you trying to start so early in the morning?!"

Lance finally freed the butter knife from the wood and turned back to the psychic with an innocent expression. "Gym Leader Sabrina said that your lucky color was silver, right? I just wanted to give you this butter knife to help you out. It's silver, see?"

"Ah, an honest declaration of brotherly affection! You never cease to amaze me, Lance!" Bruno said agreeably, nodding his head and smiling nostalgically. "Will, a true man always accepts others' goodwill and gifts wholeheartedly, even if he must lose his limbs in the process!"

"_Stop joking around_! I'd lose my life if I accepted gifts like that!"

Bruno was an oddity himself. A senior Elite Four member, he and Lance appeared to have a good working relationship and have gone way back together, long before Karen, Koga and Will himself had ever come along. Most notably, the Fighting-type specialist seemed just as oblivious to Lance's schemes just like Lyra! It drove Will up the wall sometimes how at the League, Lance obviously wanted him killed and barely hid those foul intentions of his, and Bruno could just attest it all to some philosophical teaching or other like nothing was wrong! If everybody else could see it, why couldn't Bruno?!

**ANOTHER POV END**

* * *

**/?/?/?/?/?/**

Ethan had been spending an awful lot of time down at the Tohjo Falls to study the Glacier Lillies and gather samples lately. It was tedious, repetitive work but he really felt like he was working towards an amazing discovery - the core of the mystery of Pokemon evolution. And the teen never backed down when presented with a tough mystery. As a result, he ended up staying over six hours at a time in the underground caverns, only going back to the surface when he absolutely needed to.

-Which was why he was kind of surprised when Silver of all people showed up at the cave one day.

"Hey."

"...Hey," Ethan responded, unsure. He didn't stop writing in his notebook to look at him.

Silence.

Silver had nothing good to say, and Ethan did nothing to help him out.

The atmosphere was understandably awkward.

The other male was most likely still very pissed off-

"Lyra told me where to find you," Silver said at last.

"She did?" Ethan said neutrally, glancing at the Lillies he were sketching.

"Yeah. And you can't hide any longer."

"...I was hiding?"

Silver blinked. "Weren't you?"

Ethan still did not look up. "Who knows."

"...Why the hell do you always gotta be like that?"

"Like what?"

The young aspiring Pokemon researcher did not hear the clank of metal chains until it was too late.

"?!"

Silver was on top of him before he could defend himself, and to his mounting surprise his wrist was now handcuffed. The other end was handcuffed to Silver's own wrist.

"What the-"

"But you know what? It doesn't matter. Because now, you're going to sit right here and explain yourself to me, you got that 'pal'?" Silver said quietly. "You can't run away from me anymore. I won't let you. Not without any real answers, dammit."

"How- how in the _hell_ did you get a pair of handcuffs?!"

Ethan's shock was justified; these weren't those plastic toy ones you could get at bargain stores. These were the real thing.

"...That's not important," Silver said after a beat. "So what's it gonna be, science-boy? If you want to escape, you have to answer my questions."

"..."

"I want to know why you did it. And I want to know why you used me."

* * *

**SPINNING + FULL CIRCLE**

**THE END**

**(FOR REAL THIS TIME)**

* * *

**TO BE CONTINUED IN THE SEQUEL:**

**"COUNTDOWN"**

* * *

**Fic Updates:**

ver. 1.0 - Uploaded the first chapter! (2/16/14)  
ver. 2.1 - Fixed spelling and grammar mistakes in the first chapter; uploaded the second chapter! (2/21/14)  
ver. 2.3 - Fixed spelling and grammar mistakes, and extended some scenes in the second chapter! (2/22/14)  
ver. 3.4 - Uploaded the third chapter, fixed typos in the same chapter! (3/1/14)  
ver. 3.5 - Fixed an embarrassing typo in the second chapter! (3/5/14)  
ver. 4.8 - Uploaded the fourth chapter, fixed typos in the same chapter, edited some scenes for better flow in the third chapter! (3/17/14)  
ver. 4.9 - Fixed spelling and grammar mistakes in the fourth chapter! (3/18/14)  
ver. 6.1 - Uploaded the fifth chapter, and fixed a spelling hiccup! (3/31/14)  
ver. 7.1 - Uploaded the extra chapter! (4/06/14)


End file.
